Taurine concentrations in plasma and blood cells of patients undergoing long-term parenteral nutrition

Taurine concentrations were measured in plasma and blood cells of 40 adults undergoing long-term parenteral nutrition, without intravenous taurine, for 43.8 +/- 35.1 (SD) mo. Patients were classified into Group 1 (21 patients) or Group 2 (19 patients) according to whether their estimated enteral absorption of calories was less or greater than 25% of their daily requirement, respectively. In Group 1, taurine concentrations were reduced to 35-49% of normal control values in plasma (p less than 0.01), platelets (p less than 0.001), lymphocytes (p less than 0.005), and erythrocytes (p less than 0.001). Granulocyte taurine was not different from normal. A smaller decrease in taurine concentration was found in Group 2 patients; however, taurine levels were significantly below normal in their plasma and red cells. Thus, many patients undergoing long-term parenteral nutrition with little or no taurine intake are depleted of taurine in plasma and most blood cells. These findings suggest that taurine may be essential for these patients and should be added to solutions used for long-term parenteral nutrition.