[Effect of postoperative parenteral feeding on protein metabolism in heart surgery patients. A comparative study]

To investigate the importance of amino acid infusions in immediate postoperative parenteral nutrition, cardiac patients were randomly allocated into two groups. Applicating identical carbohydrate calories (2000 kcal/day) group 1 received only essential amino acids while in group 2 a combined pattern of essential and non essential amino acids was infused. In addition to routine laboratory data several parameters of protein metabolism including nitrogen balance were evaluated. Although nitrogen balance was positive only in group 2 the differences between the two groups concerning other parameters measured were minimal. The different infusion regimes are discussed revealing the significance of additional parenteral nutrition in these patients.