Neutron activation analysis has been used to determine the total content in the body of N, K, Na, Cl, P and Ca in 25 critically ill surgical patients before and after a 14-day course of intravenous nutrition. Muscle elemental composition was also determined in these patients at the same time as the total body analysis. Over the 14-day period of intravenous feeding the total body contents of all the measured elements increased (2-9.7 per cent) but only the increase in K was statistically significant. Muscle chemistry suggested an intracellular K depletion which was corrected over the study period. The results of the total body multi-element analysis were interpreted to show a mean gain of 1.25 l of extracellular fluid and 0.51 l of intracellular fluid and direct measurement of total body water suggested that this interpretation was probably valid. The first application of the technique to patients with nutritional and metabolic problems has quantified the weight gained by two body compartments during a 2-week period of intravenous nutrition. Its further application should help to solve a number of nutritional and metabolic problems in clinical surgery.
Neutron activation analysis has been used to determine the total content in the body of N, K, Na, Cl, P and Ca in 25 critically ill surgical patients before anpan>d after a 14-day course of inpan>travenpan>ous nutritionpan>. Muscle elemenpan>tal compositionpan> was also determinpan>ed inpan> these pan> class="Species">patients at the same time as the total body analysis. Over the 14-day period of intravenous feeding the total body contents of all the measured elements increased (2-9.7 per cent) but only the increase in K was statistically significant. Muscle chemistry suggested an intracellular K depletion which was corrected over the study period. The results of the total body multi-element analysis were interpreted to show a mean gain of 1.25 l of extracellular fluid and 0.51 l of intracellular fluid and direct measurement of total body water suggested that this interpretation was probably valid. The first application of the technique to patients with nutritional and metabolic problems has quantified the weight gained by two body compartments during a 2-week period of intravenous nutrition. Its further application should help to solve a number of nutritional and metabolic problems in clinical surgery.
Authors: T A Byrne; T B Morrissey; C Gatzen; K Benfell; T V Nattakom; M R Scheltinga; M S LeBoff; T R Ziegler; D W Wilmore Journal: Ann Surg Date: 1993-10 Impact factor: 12.969
Authors: Y Fong; M Rosenbaum; K J Tracey; G Raman; D G Hesse; D E Matthews; R L Leibel; J M Gertner; D A Fischman; S F Lowry Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 1989-05 Impact factor: 11.205