Comparison of substrate utilization by indirect calorimetry during cyclic and continuous total parenteral nutrition

Five male adult home patients were studied in a randomized order under continuous (24 h/d) and nocturnal cyclic (15 h/d) isocaloric, isonitrogenous total parenteral nutrition (TPN). They received 2626 +/- 265 total kcal/d as 60% dextrose and 40% lipids; the 3-h lipid infusion was followed by the dextrose amino acid infusion on both regimens. Substrate oxidation was measured by indirect calorimetry during four periods on the fourth day of each regimen. During cyclic TPN net lipogenesis occurred with a nonproteic respiratory quotient (npRQ) greater than 1 during dextrose amino acid infusion followed by net lipolysis with an npRQ less than 1 during the nonnourishing phase. In contrast, during continuous TPN net lipogenesis persisted with an npRQ greater than 1 over the 21 h of dextrose amino acid infusion. During the 3-h lipid infusion, fat oxidation was observed during both regimens but was more pronounced during cyclic TPN (p less than 0.05). As a consequence, 24-h lipid oxidation was higher and 24-h dextrose utilization lower during cyclic vs continuous TPN (p less than 0.05). These results suggest that cyclic TPN when alternating between substrate storage and oxidation, mimics the physiological pattern of oral feeding.