Extrait

Critically ill patients often become septic due to severe infection. The function of liver can become strained in this situation, however it is difficult for clinicians to determine how strained the liver actually is. Methionine is an essential amino acid that humans obtain from beef, fish, beet and dairy products. The methionine is metabolised almost exclusively in the liver. Therefore by attaching a radiolabelled carbon 13 atom to the methionine we can measure how much of the methionine has been metabolised and therefore how well the liver is functioning. The primary objective of this study is to show that in critically ill patients the amount of methionine metabolised by the liver is reduced on day 5 in the intensive care unit compared to admission (day 0).

Critère d'inclusion

• 60 consecutive critically ill patients will be recruited with illnesses such as severe infection, trauma and post-surgery

Liens

• ictrp
• euctr