Septic encephalopathy. Etiology and management.

There are widespread disturbances in hepatic and peripheral metabolism in sepsis. Prominent effects include elevated plasma concentrations of aromatic and sulfur-containing amino acids during sepsis, while BCAA are normal or reduced. These alterations probably in part reflect accelerated muscle protein breakdown and hepatic dysfunction. Concomitant with changes in plasma amino acids, altered brain levels of amino acids and neurotransmitters are observed. Increased brain concentrations of the serotoninergic and reduced levels of the catecholaminergic neurotransmitters, along with the occurrence of false neurotransmitters, may be important factors in the pathophysiology of septic encephalopathy. Although the main objective in the treatment of septic patients, of course, is to remove or drain the septic focus, recent studies have shown that administration of BCAA-enriched solutions may be beneficial in the improvement of metabolic derangements and septic encephalopathy. It should be emphasized that not a great deal of work has been done in this area, and the above results are preliminary and fragmentary. However, they do at least provide a working hypothesis for testing of another form of metabolic encephalopathy.