Nutritional Assessment Reflects Muscle Energy Metabolism in Gastric Carcinoma

Abstract

Preoperative nutritional status and muscle energy metabolism were studied in 26 patients with gastric carcinoma. Fat stores were reduced in 30% and visceral proteins in 25% to 90% of the patients. According to the nutritional assessment, the patients were divided into wellnourished (group I, n = 8) with no or minor signs of malnutrition and malnourished (group II, n = 13) with signs of pronounced malnutrition. Group I had normal content of muscle energy metabolites despite their malignant disease. In group II, adenine nucleotides (p > 0.001), phosphorylcreatine (p > 0.01), creatine (p > 0.05) and also glycogen (p > 0.01) were markedly decreased. Weight loss, albumin, and flbronectin levels correlated significantly with adenosine-triphosphate, total adenine nucleotides, and glycogen levels. The most malnourished patients also had the poorest energy metabolite status in the muscle. These findings revive the interest in nutritional assessment.