THE EFFECTS OF A NEW AMINO-ACID DIPEPTIDE SOLUTION ON NITROGEN-BALANCE AND HUMORAL GROWTH-FACTORS IN THE POSTOPERATIVE STATE IN MAN

27 patients admitted for elective abdominal surgery were allocated to receive postoperative total parenteral nutrition supplemented with glu tamine (glycyl-glutamine) and tyrosine (glycyl-tyrosine) containing di peptides (DP-Gln 20; 0.16 g glutamine/kg BW/24 h) or isonitrogenous Va min 18 for 5 days. The aim was to evaluate safety and effects on short -life plasma proteins, nitrogen balance, 3-methylhistidine excretion a nd alimentary growth factors in plasma. No differences in transthyreti n or retinol binding protein levels, nitrogen balance or 3-methylhisti dine excretion were found in patients receiving DP-Gln 20 compared to Vamin 18. There were higher plasma levels of peptide YY in the dipepti de group 5 days after surgery (p < 0.05). A correlation between insuli n levels and nitrogen balance was found only in DP-Gln 20 treated pati ents day 6 (r = 0.91, p < 0.01). DP-Gln 20 is a glutamine dipeptide (G ly-Gln) containing amino acid solution which is considered safe in the postoperative state in man. No beneficial effects on whole body prote in metabolism were found by adding DP-Gln 20 to total parenteral nutri tion.