Changes in serum citrulline and arginine levels of SBS patients

Aim: Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS) patient with a residual small intestine length < 200 cm. The majority of serum citrulline (SC) is produced in the jejunal enterocytes. The cut off value of SC level in parenteral nutrition (PN) dependence was < 20 µmol/l, evaluated after bowel adaptation (BA). BA takes 1 – 3 years. The precursor of citrulline is glutamine (80 per cent), the remaining 20 per cent comprises arginine, proline and ornithine. The aim was to assess changes in SC and arginine levels of SBS patients at the start and end of expected BA period (BAP).