Figure 2.

Absorption of carbohydrate is impaired in the critically ill. In nine critically ill patients (with normal gastric emptying (GE)) both peak and area under the curve (AUC) concentrations for plasma 3-O-methyl-glucose [3-OMG] (an index of glucose absorption) were markedly attenuated when compared with 19 healthy subjects. [3-OMG] AUC_{0-240 min}: critically ill patients, 38.9 ± 11.4 mmol/l/min vs. healthy subjects, 66.6 ± 16.8 mmol/l/min; P < 0.001 (mean ± standard deviation). Reproduced from [12]. ICU, intensive care unit.