Protein turnover in acute and chronic liver disease

The method of constant infusion of U14C tyrosine tracer was used to measure whole body protein turnover in 24 patients with liver disease of varying severity. Whilst on a basic diet of glucose alone (5 g/hr), protein turnover and endogenous breakdown was significantly elevated in patients with cirrhosis and fulminant hepatic failure (F.H.F.), breakdown rising to 700 g/d greater than normal in F.H.F. In addition plasma aromatic aminoacids were significantly elevated and positively associated with the increases in endogenous protein breakdown (r = 0.78, p less than 0.05). Fourteen patients had a second infusion after dietary supplementation with either complete aminoacids (3 g/hr, n = 8) or branched chain aminoacids (BCAA, 4 g/hr, n = 6). The complete mixture did not worsen encephalopathy, improved the plasma aminoacid pattern, reduced protein breakdown and resulted in positive aminoacid balance. The BCAA supplements significantly reduced protein oxidation and endogenous breakdown. The results indicate that protein restriction in cirrhosis and fulminant hepatic failure will not significantly affect the load of aminoacids on the liver, nor their accumulation in plasma. Nutritional support of such patients should therefore include 40 - 60 g. protein per day to prevent protein depletion, and hypertonic glucose and insulin to suppress catabolism. BCAA supplementation may play a useful supportive role in increasing the utilisable nitrogen content of the diet and further suppressing catabolism.