Measurement of glycerol turnover by infusion of nonisotopic glycerol in normal and injured subjects

¹ Department of Surgery, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York 10032, and Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021

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_t) and concentration (C) (R_t = 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 µmol/min for 70 min each, with a prime of 2 mmol given as a bolus at the start of each stage.

Submitted on December 27, 1983
Accepted on April 18, 1984