The main determinants of nitrogen balance during total parenteral nutrition in critically ill injured patients

• DOI: 10.1007/bf00256262
• Publication Date: 2004-09-19T07:19:05Z
• Authors: G. Iapichino; D. Radrizzani; M. Solca; A. Pesenti; L. Gattinoni; A. Ferro; L. Leoni; M. Langer; S. Vesconi; G. Damia
• Keywords: Nitrogen balance; Calorie; Basal (medicine)

Factors influencing nitrogen balance during total parenteral nutrition have been investigated in 34 critically ill injured patients studied during the first 6 days after trauma. Basal nitrogen balance was severely negative (-0.26 +/- 0.12 (SD) g X kg-1), but improved consistently during treatment. Nitrogen intake proved to be the major determinant of a positive, or less negative, nitrogen balance, only secondarily followed by total energy intake corrected to predicted basal energy expenditure, according to multiple regression analysis. The amount of non-protein calories and the non-protein calorie to nitrogen ratio appeared to have little significance on nitrogen balance, when corrected for the two former variables.