Beneficial effects of enteral fat administration on liver dysfunction, liver lipid accumulation, and protein metabolism in septic rats.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of different amounts of fat in enteral diets on liver function, liver lipid accumulation, and protein metabolism in septic rats. Sepsis was induced in Wistar rats by cecal ligation and puncture. The rats were divided into four groups and were fed enterally 0% (FO, n = 7), 10% (F10, n = 7), 20% (F20, n = 8), or 30% (F30, n = 9) of total calories as fat. The liquid diet consisted of medium-chain and long-chain triglyceride mixtures as the fat sources, casein oligopeptide, and dextrin (100 kcal/100 ml). Intraduodenum feeding was ended on the 6th day. Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamic pyruvic transaminase activities, indices of liver dysfunction, were highest in the FO group, and triglycerides accumulated in the livers of that group, possibly because of the large proportion of carbohydrate in the diet. Value of nitrogen balance was highest in the F 10 group, and serum total protein and albumin concentration were higher in the F10 and F20 groups than in the FO and F30 groups. The liver protein content in the F10 and F20 groups was higher than in the FO and F30 groups. Serum triglyceride in the F30 group was about 2 times higher than in the F10 and F20 groups. These results indicate that enteral fat administration in septic rats as 30% of total calories reduced liver dysfunction and liver triglyceride accumulation, but might have been excessive for optimal protein metabolism. Therefore, the preferable amount may range from 10% to 20% of total calories.