Altered lipid kinetics in adjuvant recombinant human growth hormone-treated multiple-trauma patients

Adjuvant recombinant human growth hormone therapy during the postinjury period may improve the efficiency of utilization of body energy stores. In a group of 20 severely injured highly catabolic hypermetabolic adult multiple-trauma victims, we have investigated the basic lipid kinetics of trauma (study I) and its modification after 7 days of intravenous feeding (total parenteral nutrition) with (group H, n = 10) or without (group C, n = 10) daily rhGH (0.15 mg somatotropin.kg-1.day-1) intramuscular injections (study II). Whole body lipolysis rate (2-stage primed constant infusion of 10% glycerol), substrate net oxidation rates (indirect calorimetry), and plasma levels of hormones were determined. Compared with the control group (group C) the treatment group (group H) showed significantly (P = 0.006) enhanced rates of lipolysis and free fatty acid reesterification (10 +/- 2 to 18 +/- 2 kcal.kg-1.day-1, P = 0.05). As a function of resting energy expenditure (REE), a trend of increased net glucose oxidation [32 +/- 10 vs. 56 +/- 7% REE, not significant (NS)] and decreased fat (40 +/- 8 vs. 25 +/- 5% REE, NS) and protein oxidation rates (28 +/- 2 vs. 19 +/- 2% REE, P = 0.007) were also indicated. The simultaneous operation of increased lipolytic and reesterification processes may allow the adipocyte to respond rapidly to changes in peripheral metabolic fuel requirements in injury.