ELIMINATION OF FAT EMULSION PARTICLES FROM PLASMA DURING GLUCOSE-INFUSION

To determine the optimal rate of infusion of a fat emulsion (long-chai n triglycerides; LCTs) for parenteral nutrition, the rate of eliminati on of triglycerides from plasma was measured on two occasions in three healthy subjects, once while receiving LCTs alone (study I) and once while receiving a combined infusion of glucose and LCTs (study 2). In study 1 a hypertriglyceridaemic clamp was set up by raising the concen tration of triglycerides to 2 mmol l(-1) (60-min priming infusion at 0 .2 g LCTs per kg body-weight per h) and maintaining this value for 300 min. In study 2 a constant infusion of glucose at a rate of 0.32 g pe r kg body-weight per h was given throughout the 420-min test, and the hypertriglyceridaemic clamp was set up after 70 min. The infusion of g lucose induced a progressive increase in the mean(s.d.) concentration of insulin from 4.3(0.4) mu U ml(-1) to a plateau value of 11.0(0.2) m u U ml(-1) which was sustained during the last 310 min of the study. D uring the steady state of the hypertriglyceridaemic clamp, the concent ration of triglycerides (2.16(0.17) versus 2.12(0.20) mmol l(-1), P=0. 26), as well as the mean(s.d.) rates of infusion of LCTs (0.12(0.08) v ersus 0.12(0.04) per Bg body-weight per h, P=0.38), did not differ bet ween studies 1 and 2, Thus, an infusion of glucose (and the associated physiological increase in the concentration of insulin) at doses comm only used in parenteral nutrition does not influence the rate of elimi nation of triglycerides from plasma in normal subjects.