Introduction: Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) after trauma and during sepsis has two major goals. One is the reduction of increased protein catabolism, the second is to avoid hyperglycemia and enhanced hepatic gluconeogenesis. Glucose and xylitol differ in their utilization rates after trauma and during sepsis. Whole-body glucose utilization is reduced during such states, while the utilization of xylitol is more than doubled. In order to investigate whether these differences are associated with beneficial effects on hepatic glucose production and protein sparing, we conducted two animal and two clinical studies.
Methods: For the analysis of glucose and protein turnover radioactive and stable isotope techniques were applied. In burned rats primed constant infusions of 6-[3H]-glucose, 1-[14C]-alanine, 3-[14C]-alanine and U-[14C]-acetate were used to determine whole body glucose turnover, gluconeogenesis from C3-precursors and alanine flux. In septic rats nitrogen balance was calculated after determination of 24-hour-urine nitrogen content measured by micro-Kjeldahl digestion. 24-hour urinary 3-methyl-histidine excretion was analysed by amino acid autoanalyser. In human studies hepatic glucose production and urea synthesis rates were measured using primed continuous infusions of [6,6-d2]-glucose and [2-N15]-urea, respectively.
Results: In the first trauma model we demonstrated that hypocaloric xylitol in contrast to glucose significantly reduced hepatic glucose production and gluconeogenesis from C3-carbons. In the septic rat exchange of glucose calories by xylitol in a proportion of 1:1 was associated with a significantly ameliorated nitrogen retention and lower 3-methyl-histidine excretion. In two studies on surgical intensive care patients we were able to confirm these nitrogen sparing properties of xylitol. Hepatic glucose production and urea synthesis rates were significantly reduced during xylitol infusion after trauma, whereas equicaloric glucose had no effects. In septic patients xylitol led to significant lower lactate concentrations and gluconeogenesis rates than isocaloric glucose.
Discussion: In animal as well as in human studies hypocaloric xylitol and the mixture of glucose/xylitol (1:1) were more efficient in preserving body protein than glucose alone. Hepatic gluconeogenesis was significantly reduced when compared to isocaloric glucose. During the acute phase after trauma we therefore recommend a carbohydrate supplementation of 3 g/kg BW/d by xylitol. During long-term TPN a glucose/xylitol mixture (1:1) in a dosage of 6 g/kg BW/d is recommended together with amino acids and, if necessary, lipids.