TY - JOUR
T1 - Peripheral plasma amino acid abnormalities in rehabilitation patients with severe brain injury
AU - Aquilani, Roberto
AU - Viglio, Simona
AU - Iadarola, Paolo
AU - Guarnaschelli, Caterina
AU - Arrigoni, Nadia
AU - Fugazza, Gloria
AU - Catapano, Mariana
AU - Boschi, Federica
AU - Dossena, Maurizia
AU - Pastoris, Ornella
PY - 2000/2
Y1 - 2000/2
N2 - Objective: Acute severe brain injury causes an increased mobilization of amino acids from tissue. The plasma amino acid profile of patients undergoing rehabilitation after brain injury is unknown. This study was aimed at delineating the plasma amino acid profile of rehabilitation patients with brain injury. Design: Peripheral plasma aminogram, lactate, pyruvate, glycerol, ketone body, and carnitine concentrations were determined in 11 patients with brain injury (34.6 ± 15 years old, 60 ± 16.8 days after injury) and in 8 controls. Resting energy expenditure and nitrogen balance were also determined. Results: (1) All essential amino acids and about 50% of nonessential amino acids were significantly lower in brain injury patients than in controls (p <.05). (2) Plasma amino acids were lower irrespective of either energy and protein intake or nitrogen balance. (3) Total carnitine concentration and esterified/free carnitine ratio were higher in brain injury patients than in controls (p <.05). Conclusions: Rehabilitation patients with brain injury may have an important reduction of their plasma aminogram. Muscle tissue depletion and the persistence of a hypercatabolic state caused by subclinical infections, pressure sores, and immobility may contribute to this reduction. (C) 2000 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
AB - Objective: Acute severe brain injury causes an increased mobilization of amino acids from tissue. The plasma amino acid profile of patients undergoing rehabilitation after brain injury is unknown. This study was aimed at delineating the plasma amino acid profile of rehabilitation patients with brain injury. Design: Peripheral plasma aminogram, lactate, pyruvate, glycerol, ketone body, and carnitine concentrations were determined in 11 patients with brain injury (34.6 ± 15 years old, 60 ± 16.8 days after injury) and in 8 controls. Resting energy expenditure and nitrogen balance were also determined. Results: (1) All essential amino acids and about 50% of nonessential amino acids were significantly lower in brain injury patients than in controls (p <.05). (2) Plasma amino acids were lower irrespective of either energy and protein intake or nitrogen balance. (3) Total carnitine concentration and esterified/free carnitine ratio were higher in brain injury patients than in controls (p <.05). Conclusions: Rehabilitation patients with brain injury may have an important reduction of their plasma aminogram. Muscle tissue depletion and the persistence of a hypercatabolic state caused by subclinical infections, pressure sores, and immobility may contribute to this reduction. (C) 2000 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
KW - Amino acids
KW - Brain injury
KW - Plasma
KW - Rehabilitation
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U2 - 10.1053/apmr.2000.0810176
DO - 10.1053/apmr.2000.0810176
M3 - Article
C2 - 10668771
AN - SCOPUS:12944249521
VL - 81
SP - 176
EP - 181
JO - Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
JF - Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
SN - 0003-9993
IS - 2
ER -