Experimental study on the proportion of three nutrients in burn rats with enteral nutrition

Objective To observe the effect of alteration of proportion of carbohydrate, protein and fat intake on the metabolic level, immunological function and healing of the burn wound. Methods Twenty-one SD rats were inflicted with 30% TBSA scalding on the back after the gastrostomy was performed on them. The rats were divided into three groups: i. e. group A (with low-fat and low-protein diet) , group B (with high-fat and low-protein diet) and group C ( with low-fat and high-protein diet) . The intake caloric value was set at 732 kJ • kg ^-1 • d ^-1. Equal amounts of calories and volume for three groups were given in aconstant speed evenly with a pump within 24 hours through the tube inserted through the gastrostomy stoma. The response of splenic lymphocyte to ConA, the level of PGE2, IL-2, serum albumin, plasma transfferin, glucagon, and cortisol in blood, the content of hydroxyproline and the ratio of type I to type III collagen in burn wounds, and the nitrogen content in the liver and the jejunal mucosa were measured ten days after injury. Results In group C, the level of serum albumin, the nitrogen content of the liver and the secretion of PGE2 from peritoneal macrophages were significantly higher than those in group A and B. The level of IL-2in plasma and the content of hydroxyproline in burn wound of Group C was also significantly higher than that in group A, while the ratio of type 1 to type Ⅲ collagen in group B and C was significantly lower than that in group A. There were no significant differences among the three groups in the levels of plasma cortisol, glucagon and urine vanillylmandelic acid( VAM). Conclusion The low-fat and high-protein diet might be beneficial to the synthesis of protein, immunological function and the burn wound healing.