Table 4.

Plasma amino acid response to a high (1 g protein/kg body weight) meal in cirrhotic patients

Amino acid	Group	Basal (± SE)	30 min (± SE)	60 min (± SE)	120 min (± SE)	180 min (± SE)	240 min (± SE)
Taurine	Cirrhotic	58 ± 1	54 ± 4	59 ± 5	58 ± 3	57 ± 4	54 ± 3
Threonine	Cirrhotic	150 ± 25	152 ± 22	169 ± 23	195 ± 29c	216 ± 43	216 ± 31
Serine	Cirrhotic	114 ± 11	131 ± 17	151 ± 20	153 ± 16f	156 ± 21	158 ± 15
Asparagine	Cirrhotic	46 ± 3	60 ± 5	67 ± 6f	76 ± 3	76 ± 7	73 ± 8
Glutamic ac.	Cirrhotic	110 ± 30	94 ± 25	88 ± 36	109 ± 29	130 ± 26	153 ± 79
Glutamine	Cirrhotic	449 ± 29	462 ± 64	514 ± 56	560 ± 43	578 ± 39	520 ± 82
Proline	Cirrhotic	182 ± 35	212 ± 30	220 ± 26	278 ± 30	266 ± 32	245 ± 34
Glycine	Cirrhotic	199 ± 13	225 ± 20	245 ± 25	272 ± 12d	276 ± 25	273 ± 21
Alanine	Cirrhotic	326 ± 23	408 ± 41	465 ± 48c	462 ± 12	456 ± 29	475 ± 47
Citruline	Cirrhotic	48 ± 7	44 ± 7	48 ± 7	58 ± 5	50 ± 7	59 ± 10
Valine	Cirrhotic	146 ± 23	160 ± 19	185 ± 19	209 ± 29c	224 ± 36	243 ± 29
Cysteine	Cirrhotic	53 ± 3	55 ± 4	61 ± 7	60 ± 4	57 ± 3	63 ± 4d
Methionine	Cirrhotic	34 ± 4	41 ± 4	45 ± 4	54 ± 6f	58 ± 6	64 ± 8
Isoleucine	Cirrhotic	43 ± 2	57 ± 6	63 ± 6d	86 ± 12	97 ± 16	107 ± 11
Leucine	Cirrhotic	73 ± 10	93 ± 12	107 ± 14	135 ± 25c	149 ± 31	160 ± 20
Tyrosine	Cirrhotic	109 ± 13	115 ± 8	123 ± 11	139 ± 8c	144 ± 8	159 ± 15
Phenylalanine	Cirrhotic	58 ± 7	66 ± 5	77 ± 10	84 ± 10f	86 ± 9	98 ± 12
Ornithine	Cirrhotic	62 ± 7	69 ± 6	73 ± 7	81 ± 4f	90 ± 8	94 ± 9
Lysine	Cirrhotic	148 ± 10	179 ± 22	211 ± 27c	240 ± 32	248 ± 40	253 ± 32
Histidine	Cirrhotic	68 ± 8	80 ± 8	89 ± 7	90 ± 8	91 ± 10	93 ± 7
Arginine	Cirrhotic	91 ± 9	99 ± 10	109 ± 14	134 ± 11c	139 ± 18	152 ± 19
BCAA/AAA	Cirrhotic	1.69 ± 0.3	1.74 ± 0.2	1.81 ± 0.2	1.93 ± 0.3	2.03 ± 0.3c	2.08 ± 0.4c

The results are expressed as means ± SEM. Plasma amino acids are given in nmol/mL. First value significantly different from basal value:

^cP < 0.05,

^dP < 0.01,

^fP < 0.02.