Table 3.

Plasma amino acid response to a 20-g protein mixed meal in cirrhotic patients and controls

Amino acid	Group	Basal (± SE)	30 min (± SE)	60 min (± SE)	120 min (± SE)	180 min (± SE)	240 min (± SE)
Tau	Control	69 ± 17	65 ± 10	74 ± 10	74 ± 11	69 ± 8
	Cirrhotic	48 ± 5	46 ± 7	42 ± 5a	47 ± 6	44 ± 4	42 ± 7
Thr	Control	101 ± 5	117 ± 10c	110 ± 3	115 ± 8	114 ± 12
	Cirrhotic	113 ± 10	124 ± 8	125 ± 11	118 ± 8	101 ± 8	111 ± 15
Ser	Control	94 ± 8	105 ± 8f	104 ± 9d	99 ± 11	92 ± 13
	Cirrhotic	105 ± 7	117 ± 8c	114 ± 10	108 ± 9	96 ± 7	103 ± 12
Asn	Control	23 ± 2	40 ± 2d	41 ± 4d	40 ± 4d	35 ± 5c
	Cirrhotic	35 ± 3a	43 ± 3f	44 ± 5d	44 ± 4d	37 ± 4	38 ± 5
Glu	Control	246 ± 33	299 ± 35	263 ± 17	276 ± 24	237 ± 26
	Cirrhotic	375 ± 30	388 ± 20	380 ± 34	375 ± 23	354 ± 22	378 ± 45
Gln	Control	163 ± 11	163 ± 14	154 ± 13	142 ± 11	144 ± 26
	Cirrhotic	226 ± 21ª	217 ± 18	213 ± 14ª	213 ± 20	190 ± 12	180 ± 29
Pro	Control	145 ± 11	152 ± 13	151 ± 5	155 ± 12	135 ± 7
	Cirrhotic	152 ± 15	147 ± 17	173 ± 19	185 ± 17c	155 ± 16	150 ± 15
Gly	Control	178 ± 8	187 ± 11	190 ± 14	193 ± 16	176 ± 21
	Cirrhotic	174 ± 14	177 ± 14	166 ± 13	176 ± 11	170 ± 12	165 ± 16
Ala	Control	271 ± 18	323 ± 21d	339 ± 29d	354 ± 31d	309 ± 34
	Cirrhotic	262 ± 17	310 ± 24c	334 ± 34	345 ± 25d	307 ± 26	284 ± 38
Cit
	Cirrhotic	27 ± 3	23 ± 2	20 ± 2	27 ± 2	28 ± 2	33 ± 4
Val	Control	167 ± 13	186 ± 14d	182 ± 16c	188 ± 11d	173 ± 16
	Cirrhotic	180 ± 4	198 ± 10c	203 ± 9c	193 ± 10	170 ± 8	175 ± 18
Cys	Control	42 ± 1	41 ± 2	40 ± 2	42 ± 3	39 ± 4
	Cirrhotic	58 ± 3b	59 ± 2e	60 ± 3e	62 ± 2	58 ± 4b	56 ± 5
Met	Control	25 ± 2	24 ± 1	25 ± 1	29 ± 4	27 ± 4
	Cirrhotic	32 ± 3	30 ± 2a	33 ± 3	31 ± 2	25 ± 3	25 ± 3
Iso	Control	49 ± 3	55 ± 4	54 ± 5	62 ± 5	57 ± 7
	Cirrhotic	55 ± 2	68 ± 3a,d	71 ± 4a,d	59 ± 2	50 ± 3	55 ± 7
Leu	Control	91 ± 6	101 ± 8c	97 ± 10	103 ± 8	95 ± 11
	Cirrhotic	101 ± 2	126 ± 7a,d	128 ± 7a,d	106 ± 5	87 ± 5	95 ± 12
Tyr	Control	53 ± 3	56 ± 2c	55 ± 3	56 ± 4	54 ± 6
	Cirrhotic	73 ± 7a	80 ± 7	83 ± 8b	82 ± 8a	73 ± 6	76 ± 10
Phe	Control	37 ± 0.8	39 ± 1	40 ± 2	42 ± 4	40 ± 5
	Cirrhotic	48 ± 5	58 ± 7	61 ± 9	62 ± 9	57 ± 7	56 ± 7
Orn	Control	41 ± 2	44 ± 2	44 ± 3	47 ± 3	45 ± 5
	Cirrhotic	61 ± 5b	67 ± 4	69 ± 6	71 ± 7d	68 ± 6	71 ± 11
Lys	Control	145 ± 10	169 ± 13d	175 ± 13d	194 ± 13f	169 ± 17c
	Cirrhotic	144 ± 6	167 ± 9c	171 ± 11c	164 ± 11	153 ± 9	150 ± 15
His	Control	64 ± 3	73 ± 3d	72 ± 4c	72 ± 4c	67 ± 8
	Cirrhotic	63 ± 4	70 ± 3	73 ± 4	72 ± 4	69 ± 4	65 ± 5
Arg	Control	70 ± 4	83 ± 5d	85 ± 6c	88 ± 6d	77 ± 8
	Cirrhotic	73 ± 5	81 ± 6	85 ± 7	86 ± 6	80 ± 7	71 ± 8
BCAA/AAA	Control	3.44 ± 0.2	3.62 ± 0.2	3.49 ± 0.2	3.65 ± 0.2	3.54 ± 0.2
	Cirrhotic	2.89 ± 0.2	2.97 ± 0.2	2.92 ± 0.2	2.62 ± 0.2c	2.45 ± 0.2d	2.53 ± 0.2f

Plasma amino acid response to a 20 g protein mixed meal in cirrhotic patients and controls. The results are expressed as means ± SEM. Healthy subjects n = 6, cirrhotics n = 8. Plasma amino acids are given in nmol/mL; significantly different from the corresponding value of control subject:

^aP < 0.05,

^bP < 0.01,

^eP < 0.001; Significantly different from basal value within the same group

^cP < 0.05,

^dP < 0.01,

^fP < 0.001.