Study of Glutamate and Glutamine Metabolism in Burn Patients Receiving Enteral or Parenteral Nutrition

Summary

The purpose of the study is to understand how the body uses amino acids in burned patients during the time they cannot eat normally. Amino acids occur naturally in the body and the food we eat. The body combines amino acids to make protein. It uses the proteins to do things such as heal wounds, fight infection, and provide energy. We are studying two ways of receiving nutrition: through a vein or through a tube. We are also studying two different types of food: with or without glutamine. The results of this study will be used to determine the best type and way to supply nutrients during a severe burn injury. We hope to learn how to help the body use nutrients more efficiently to better repair wounded tissues and recover earlier from injury.

Conditions

• Burns

Interventions

DRUG

standard vs. glutamine enteral or parenteral feeding.

Patient in each group will continue on the same diet for \> 3 days before we conduct stable isotope tracer measurements.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Stable isotope tracer study

7 hours of primed constant infusion

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Stable isotope study

7 hours of primed constant infusion of stable isotope tracers.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Stable isotope tracer study

7 hours of primed constant stable isotope tracer infusion.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Stable isotope tracer study

7 hours primed constant infusion of stable isotope tracer study

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)

  collaborator NIH

• Massachusetts General Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Ronald G Tompkins, MD, ScD · MGH, Shriners Burn Hospital-Boston

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2009-11-30

Primary Completion

2010-10-31

Completion

2010-10-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations