American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 34, 1087-1093, Copyright © 1981 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Contribution of skeletal muscle protein in elevated rates of whole body protein catabolism in trauma patients

CL Long, RH Birkhahn, JW Geiger and WS Blakemore

Whole body protein breakdown using 15N and skeletal muscle protein breakdown from urinary 3-methylhistidine were measured simultaneously in seven skeletal trauma and eight normal subjects on a standard hypocaloric, protein free diet. The trauma group had a 31% greater resting metabolic energy expenditure than controls. The control males lost 3.73 mumol/kg/day of 3-methylhistidine which suggested a protein breakdown rate of 0.89 g P/kg/day. The control females lost 2.46 mumol/kg/day of 3-methylhistidine or a breakdown rate of 0.58 g P/kg/day. These parameters were 187% greater for males and 163% greater for females in the trauma group. The measured whole body protein breakdown rates were 3.64 g P/kg/day for the control males and 2.69 for females. Skeletal trauma increased both by 73%. Skeletal trauma raised the muscle contribution to the whole body breakdown rate from 24.4 to 40.4% for men and from 21.6 to 33.0% for women. This disproportionate increase in muscle protein breakdown is consistent with muscle protein metabolism being most seriously affected by severe injury.

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