[Parenteral nutrition in polytrauma - comparison between a fat-free and a fat-containing nutritional regime]

Two groups of patients with multiple injuries were treated with high-caloric parenteral nutrition over a period of 10 days. One group received amino acids (1 g/kg BW/day) and dextrose (2.0 x resting metabolic rate calories). In the other group dextrose was partially substituted by an isocaloric amount of lipids (2 g/kg BW/day). As for blood and serum glucose, pyruvate, lactate, triglycerides, cholesterol, phosphatides, free fatty acids, glycerol, acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate there were no significant differences between the two groups. Nevertheless, in the lipid group more balanced blood-sugar levels were seen with smaller amounts of insulin to be needed. This suggests a beneficial effect on the carbohydrate metabolism.