[A prospective randomized study of parenteral and enteral nutrition in postoperative patients]

To evaluate the metabolic effects of balanced enteral nutrition (EN) and standard parenteral nutrition (PN, without glutamine) in post-operative patients, we performed a prospective randomized trial in 24 patients after gastrectomy or semi-colectomy. All patients had normal liver, kidney, heart and lung functions. patients of the enteral nutrition group received liquid Ensure (Abbott-Ross) while patients of the parenteral nutrition group received standard parenteral nutrition. Parenteral nutrition solutions consist of amino acids, fat emulsions, glucose, electrolytes, vitamins and trace elements. Subjects of the two groups received iso-nitrogenous and isocaloric nutritional regime for seven days (from POD+5 to POD+11). Weight loss in the parenteral nutrition group and the enteral nutrition group was 1.7 +/- 0.2 kg and 0.8 +/- 0.31 kg respectively. Cumulative nitrogen balance was -82 +/- 51 mg.kg-1/d in the parenteral nutrition group vs +70 +/- 7 mg.kg-1/d in the enteral nutrition group (P < 0.05). The results showed that balanced enteral nutrition had less weight loss and better cumulative nitrogen balance than standard parenteral nutrition in this protocol. More patients study will be needed.