Protein and energy metabolism in chronic bacterial infection: studies in melioidosis.

Chronic infection is often accompanied by a wasting process, the metabolic basis of which is not fully understood. The aims of the present study were to measure protein and energy metabolism in patients with melioidosis (a serious and antibiotic-refractory Gram-negative bacterial infection which is...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Paton, N, Angus, B, Chaowagul, W, Simpson, A, Suputtamongkol, Y, Elia, M, Calder, G, Milne, E, White, N, Griffin, G
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2001
_version_ 1797067039854034944
author Paton, N
Angus, B
Chaowagul, W
Simpson, A
Suputtamongkol, Y
Elia, M
Calder, G
Milne, E
White, N
Griffin, G
author_facet Paton, N
Angus, B
Chaowagul, W
Simpson, A
Suputtamongkol, Y
Elia, M
Calder, G
Milne, E
White, N
Griffin, G
author_sort Paton, N
collection OXFORD
description Chronic infection is often accompanied by a wasting process, the metabolic basis of which is not fully understood. The aims of the present study were to measure protein and energy metabolism in patients with melioidosis (a serious and antibiotic-refractory Gram-negative bacterial infection which is endemic in South-East Asia) in order to define the metabolic abnormalities that might contribute to wasting. Whole-body protein turnover was measured using the [(13)C]leucine technique, both in the fasted state and while consuming a high-energy meal. Resting energy expenditure was measured by indirect calorimetry, and total energy expenditure by the bicarbonate/urea method. Results were normalized for fat-free mass, as estimated from skinfold thickness. Protein turnover was increased in melioidosis patients compared with healthy controls during fasting (170.9 compared with 124.1 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1); P=0.04), but the net rate of catabolism (22.2 compared with 20.5 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1); P=0.77) and the anabolic response to feeding were similar in the two groups. Resting energy expenditure was higher in melioidosis patients compared with controls (191.4 and 157.3 kJ x kg(-1) x day(-1) respectively; P=0.04), but total energy expenditure (measured in a separate group of eight patients with melioidosis) was low (192.1 kJ x kg(-1) x day(-1)). In conclusion, this study found no evidence of metabolic causative factors, such as accelerated net protein catabolism during fasting, a blunted anabolic response to feeding or increased daily energy expenditure, and therefore suggests that reduced energy intake is the prime cause of wasting. The observed normal response to feeding should encourage nutritional approaches to prevent wasting.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T21:50:36Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:4b1f56ad-3262-41f5-aa29-4dd6c4bae7ef
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T21:50:36Z
publishDate 2001
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:4b1f56ad-3262-41f5-aa29-4dd6c4bae7ef2022-03-26T15:41:42ZProtein and energy metabolism in chronic bacterial infection: studies in melioidosis.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:4b1f56ad-3262-41f5-aa29-4dd6c4bae7efEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2001Paton, NAngus, BChaowagul, WSimpson, ASuputtamongkol, YElia, MCalder, GMilne, EWhite, NGriffin, GChronic infection is often accompanied by a wasting process, the metabolic basis of which is not fully understood. The aims of the present study were to measure protein and energy metabolism in patients with melioidosis (a serious and antibiotic-refractory Gram-negative bacterial infection which is endemic in South-East Asia) in order to define the metabolic abnormalities that might contribute to wasting. Whole-body protein turnover was measured using the [(13)C]leucine technique, both in the fasted state and while consuming a high-energy meal. Resting energy expenditure was measured by indirect calorimetry, and total energy expenditure by the bicarbonate/urea method. Results were normalized for fat-free mass, as estimated from skinfold thickness. Protein turnover was increased in melioidosis patients compared with healthy controls during fasting (170.9 compared with 124.1 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1); P=0.04), but the net rate of catabolism (22.2 compared with 20.5 micromol x kg(-1) x h(-1); P=0.77) and the anabolic response to feeding were similar in the two groups. Resting energy expenditure was higher in melioidosis patients compared with controls (191.4 and 157.3 kJ x kg(-1) x day(-1) respectively; P=0.04), but total energy expenditure (measured in a separate group of eight patients with melioidosis) was low (192.1 kJ x kg(-1) x day(-1)). In conclusion, this study found no evidence of metabolic causative factors, such as accelerated net protein catabolism during fasting, a blunted anabolic response to feeding or increased daily energy expenditure, and therefore suggests that reduced energy intake is the prime cause of wasting. The observed normal response to feeding should encourage nutritional approaches to prevent wasting.
spellingShingle Paton, N
Angus, B
Chaowagul, W
Simpson, A
Suputtamongkol, Y
Elia, M
Calder, G
Milne, E
White, N
Griffin, G
Protein and energy metabolism in chronic bacterial infection: studies in melioidosis.
title Protein and energy metabolism in chronic bacterial infection: studies in melioidosis.
title_full Protein and energy metabolism in chronic bacterial infection: studies in melioidosis.
title_fullStr Protein and energy metabolism in chronic bacterial infection: studies in melioidosis.
title_full_unstemmed Protein and energy metabolism in chronic bacterial infection: studies in melioidosis.
title_short Protein and energy metabolism in chronic bacterial infection: studies in melioidosis.
title_sort protein and energy metabolism in chronic bacterial infection studies in melioidosis
work_keys_str_mv AT patonn proteinandenergymetabolisminchronicbacterialinfectionstudiesinmelioidosis
AT angusb proteinandenergymetabolisminchronicbacterialinfectionstudiesinmelioidosis
AT chaowagulw proteinandenergymetabolisminchronicbacterialinfectionstudiesinmelioidosis
AT simpsona proteinandenergymetabolisminchronicbacterialinfectionstudiesinmelioidosis
AT suputtamongkoly proteinandenergymetabolisminchronicbacterialinfectionstudiesinmelioidosis
AT eliam proteinandenergymetabolisminchronicbacterialinfectionstudiesinmelioidosis
AT calderg proteinandenergymetabolisminchronicbacterialinfectionstudiesinmelioidosis
AT milnee proteinandenergymetabolisminchronicbacterialinfectionstudiesinmelioidosis
AT whiten proteinandenergymetabolisminchronicbacterialinfectionstudiesinmelioidosis
AT griffing proteinandenergymetabolisminchronicbacterialinfectionstudiesinmelioidosis