[An experimental and clinical study of energy-protein metabolism and host defense-repair mechanism in postoperative period--a significance of administration of branched chain amino acid].

The aim of this study is to evaluate in vivo the effect of branched chain amino acid (BCAA). Experimentally, hepatic energy production and protein synthetic rate were measured in gastrectomized rat which was infused BCAA postoperatively. Clinically, following indices were examined in prospectively randomized patients who underwent abdominal operation and were administered with conventional total parenteral nutrition keeping Calorie/N ratio about 150, including nitrogen balance, urinary 3-methylhistidine, retinol binding protein, B lymphocyte percentage and lymphocyte blastogenesis by phytohemagglutinin. Furthermore, plasma BCAA with their keto-analog level, Factor XIII and opsonic activity were determined in another group of patients who received full strength load of BCAA immediately after subtotal or total gastrectomy, in a controlled prospective randomized double-blinded manner. Results obtained from above mentioned measurements exhibited significant improvement by the administration of BCAA. From these findings, it is suggested that BCAA sustains energy-protein metabolism, supports immunocompetence and promotes wound healing under moderately stressed condition where catabolic response is physiologically compensated.