Pharmacokinetic assessment of an oligopeptide-based enteral formula in abdominal surgery patients

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition 1998-01, Vol.67 (1), p.124-128
• Main Authors: Ziegler, F, Nitenberg, G, Coudray-Lucas, C, Lasser, P, Giboudeau, J, Cynober, L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdomen - surgery; Adult; Aged; Amino acids; Amino Acids - blood; Amino Acids - pharmacokinetics; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Availability; Cross-Over Studies; Double-Blind Method; Emergency and intensive care: digestive diseases. Bioartificial liver; Enteral Nutrition - methods; Female; Food, Formulated; Humans; Insulin; Insulin - blood; Insulin - metabolism; Intensive care medicine; Leucine - blood; Leucine - metabolism; Linear Models; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nutrition; Oligopeptides - administration & dosage; Oligopeptides - pharmacokinetics; Prospective Studies; Proteins; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/67.1.124

The specific effect of the molecular form of the nitrogen supply (oligopeptides and whole proteins) on amino acid kinetics during enteral feeding after surgery has not been assessed previously. In a prospective, randomized study, patients having undergone esophagectomy or gastrectomy for cancer received jejunal infusions of oligopeptide-based or whole-protein-based complete formulas (OPD and WPD, respectively) during two 9-h periods on 2 consecutive days in a crossover design. The OPD and WPD had identical energy compositions and amino acid profiles. Amino acid peripheral bioavailability (measurements of area under the curve of arterial blood concentrations), amino acid arteriovenous differences, and insulin and glucagon responses were measured. Amino acid peripheral bioavailability was higher (leucine: 54%, P < 0.01; essential amino acids: 48%, P < 0.01; total amino acids: 53%, P < 0.02) and peripheral appearance of amino acids was more homogeneous (variation around the calculated plateau of plasma leucine was 39% for OPD and 78% for WPD, P < 0.001) with the OPD than with the WPD. With the OPD, insulin stimulation was faster and plasma concentrations of leucine and insulin were correlated (r = 0.77, P < 0.01). The OPD led to a higher amino acid peripheral bioavailability than the corresponding WPD. These results could be useful for a better definition of clinical indications of semi-elemental diets.