Intraoperative infusion of amino acids induces anabolism independent of the type of anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: The infusion of dextrose in patients receiving epidural and light general anesthesia or general anesthesia alone failed to achieve a positive protein balance. We sought to verify the hypothesis that nutritional supplementation with IV amino acids induced a greater protein balance in patients receiving epidural blockade compared with those receiving general anesthesia. METHODS: Sixteen patients were randomly assigned to receive either general anesthesia with desflurane (control group) or general anesthesia combined with epidural analgesia (EDA group). A primed constant infusion of stable isotope tracers L-[1-(13)Clleucine and [6,6-H-2(2)] glucose was started after a 32-h fast before surgery, (3 h of fasted state), and continued for 3 h during surgery during which amino acids were infused IV (fed state). RESULTS: Compared with the fasted state, the endogenous rate of appearance of leucine decreased to a similar extent in both groups, and protein synthesis increased, with no difference between the two groups. Leucine oxidation did not change in either group. After amino acids infusion, endogenous glucose production remained unchanged and glucose clearance decreased in both groups. Blood glucose, plasma cortisol, serum insulin, and glucagon concentrations increased to the same extent in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Epidural anesthesia provided no additional benefit beyond the anabolism obtained with amino acids.