Table 3.
Concentrations of plasma amino acids relevant to arginine metabolism in PT, NT, and FT piglets during an NEC-inducing protocol
| Plasma Concentration (µmol/l) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT | NT | FT | P < | |
| Arginine | ||||
| TPN (day 3) | 90.8 (74.3–107.1)b | 98.8 (65.2–132.3)b | 195.2 (123.9–266.5)a | 0.002 |
| Final | 62.8 (35.9–89.7) | 32.1 (23.3–40.9) | 38.0 (25.9–50.2) | 0.9 |
| Citrulline | ||||
| TPN (day 3) | 81.2 (72.9–89.5) | 65.2 (39.5–90.9) | 86.2 (67.5–104.9) | 0.3 |
| Final | 73.3 (62.8–83.8) | 113.3 (78.7–147.9) | 72.9 (53.3–92.5) | 0.2 |
| Glutamine | ||||
| TPN (day 3) | 301.2 (272.4–330.0)c | 438.1 (381.8–464.4)b | 583.6 (487.7–679.4)a | <0.0001 |
| Final | 611.3 (502.1–720.5)b | 719.3 (607.5–831.0)ab | 910.4 (782.9–1038.0)a | 0.005 |
| Ornithine | ||||
| TPN (day 3) | 31.1 (26.8–35.4)b | 34.1 (20.3–48.0)ab | 51.9 (37.43–66.3)a | 0.02 |
| Final | 28.7 (20.5–36.8)b | 46.2 (35.1–57.2)ab | 72.8 (57.0–88.7)a | <0.0001 |
| Proline | ||||
| TPN (day 3) | 378.0 (298.9–457.0)b | 393.2 (345.5–440.9)b | 642.4 (555.6–729.1)a | 0.001 |
| Final | 562.3 (434.9–689.6) | 532.9 (467.7–598.2) | 586.2 (613.6–658.7) | 0.7 |
Values are means and 95% confidence interval; n = 27 PT pigs, n = 9 NT pigs, and n = 11 FT pigs. Data analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test and Dunn’s multiple comparison test. FT, full term; NEC, necrotizing enterocolitis; NT, near term; PT, preterm; TPN, total parenteral nutrition.
a,b,c
Means with different superscript differ (P < 0.05).