Skeletal muscle function and energy metabolites in malnourished surgical patients.

Skeletal muscle function may be used to assess nutritional status. To approach this hypothesis nine malnourished surgical patients were studied at admission and after two weeks of preoperative total parenteral nutrition. The muscle function variables, force at 10 Hz stimulation (F10), relaxation rate (RR) and endurance (E) were determined. Energy metabolites were measured in muscle biopsies. At admission muscle function and content of energy-rich phosphates were normal, muscle glycogen was low and water was increased. After nutritional therapy, F10 and E were unchanged, RR was increased (p less than 0.05), glycogen was normalized, muscle water remained high while the nutritional markers prealbumin and skin test were markedly improved. In conclusion, skeletal muscle function and content of energy-rich phosphates were normal in semistarved malnourished patients. After nutritional therapy, RR was increased and this may prove useful in following the effect of nutritional repletion.