PROTEIN-SPARING THERAPY AFTER MAJOR ABDOMINAL-SURGERY - LACK OF CLINICAL EFFECTS

Objective A prospective multicenter randomized trial was designed to e valuate the clinical efficacy of postoperative protein-sparing therapy . Summary Background Data The metabolic effect of postoperative protei n-sparing therapy has been shown by several studies, but the clinical utility of this treatment has not been investigated by large prospecti ve trials. Methods Six hundred seventy-eight patients undergoing major elective abdominal surgery were randomly assigned to receive either p rotein-sparing therapy after surgery (protein-sparing therapy group) o r conventional therapy (control group). The patients were monitored fo r postoperative complications and mortality. Results The rate of major postoperative complications was similar in both groups (protein-spari ng therapy group, 19.5%; control group, 20.9%; p = 0.66) as were the o verall postoperative mortality rates (4.7% and 3.5%, respectively; p = 0.43). Conclusions The present study indicates that routine protein-s paring therapy for patients normonourished or mildly malnourished unde rgoing major abdominal surgery is not clinically justified.