BUTYRATE METABOLISM IN THE TERMINAL ILEAL MUCOSA OF PATIENTS WITH ULCERATIVE-COLITIS

The rate of oxidation of butyrate, glutamine and glucose was investiga ted in terminal ileal mucosal biopsy samples from nine patients with u lcerative colitis undergoing restorative proctocolectomy and from 12 p atients undergoing laparotomy for reasons other than ulcerative coliti s. Substrate oxidation was assayed using a radiolabelled isotope techn ique. Butyrate was the preferred fuel substrate, followed by glutamine and then glucose (median (95 per cent confidence interval) 567 (262-8 94), 63 (35-123) and 8.1 (5.1-18) pmol mu g(-1) h(-1) respectively; P< 0.01, Mann-Whitney U test) in normal terminal ileal mucosa. The patien ts with ulcerative colitis had a significantly reduced rate of butyrat e oxidation compared with the control group (194 (81-321) versus 567 ( 262-894) pmol mu g(-1) h(-1), P<0.05). Normal terminal ileal mucosa ox idized butyrate in greater quantities than glucose and glutamine. Ulce rative colitic terminal ileal mucosa exhibited an impaired rate of but yrate oxidation.