AJP - Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol 247, Issue 3 404-E411, Copyright © 1984 by American Physiological Society
Measurement of glycerol turnover by infusion of nonisotopic glycerol in normal and injured subjects
Y. A. Carpentier, M. Jeevanandam, A. P. Robin, J. Nordenstrom, R. E. Burr, R. L. Leibel, J. Hirsch, D. H. Elwyn and J. M. Kinney
A new technique for measuring glycerol turnover in human subjects is
presented using a staged infusion of unlabeled glycerol. A total of 105
measurements was made in normal subjects and postoperative or acutely ill
patients. The relation between glycerol turnover rate (R tau) and
concentration (C) (R tau = 31 + 2.07C) from 80 staged infusion measurements
in 21 normal subjects did not differ significantly from observations of
others made by isotope dilution. In 11 patients, glycerol turnover was also
measured by dilution of isotopic glycerol. Mean values did not differ
significantly between the two methods. The average difference, regardless
of sign, for individual values was 17%. This agreement tends to validate
the assumptions of both methods. Advantages of the staged infusion method
are that it is quicker and easier to perform and does not entail a risk due
to administration of radioactive materials. Evidence obtained in this study
from a three-stage procedure indicates that satisfactory information may be
obtained from a two-stage infusion at successive rates of 250 and 600
mumol/min for 70 min each, with a prime of 2 mmol given as a bolus at the
start of each stage.
