Gluconeogenesis Rates and Its Precursors in Pediatric Sepsis



Status:Completed
Conditions:Hospital, Diabetes
Therapuetic Areas:Endocrinology, Other
Healthy:No
Age Range:5 - 19
Updated:4/2/2016
Start Date:March 2011
End Date:October 2014
Contact:Leticia Castillo, M.D.
Email:Leticia4.castillo@utsouthwestern.edu
Phone:214-648-2228

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Gluconeogenesis Rates and Its Source in Critically Ill Adolescents

Critically ill children have abnormal utilization of nutrients such as glucose, lipids and
protein. Often sick children have increased glucose concentrations in blood. However, the
origin of the high glucose has not been determined in these populations. There is a close
interrelationship between protein and energy metabolism. An increase in the energy supply
will not promote nitrogen retention unless the amino acid supply is adequate, and
conversely, an increased amino acid supply will be useless if energy is limiting, hence the
importance of adequate protein and energy intake. Our study aims to investigate the
protein-energy interactions in critically ill septic children and adolescents with the
objective to eventually provide the best nutritional support for these patients.

This is an observational study, aimed at exploring:

i) gluconeogenesis rates ii) sources of gluconeogenesis and pyruvate cycling, and iii)
protein kinetics in critically ill children and adolescents, and its differences by age
group, as well as in comparison to healthy adolescents. The study size will include 45
critically ill septic, pediatric patients (22 children at 5-12 years of age and 23
adolescents' at 13-19 years of age), male and females admitted to the pediatric intensive
care unit (PICU) at Children's Medical Center, Dallas. The minimal subject's weight will be
17kg. Additionally, 30 healthy adolescents matched by age, gender, BMI and Tanner stage will
be studied at the Clinical Translational Research Center at Zale Lipshy Hospital, to serve
as healthy adolescent controls. The number of subjects includes an expected drop out rate of
about 20%, in order to obtain 18 patients with complete data in each group. Patients will
receive nutritional support as per standard care. This study will yield important knowledge
and may lead in the future to changes in the current practice on the management of
critically ill pediatric patients in the PICU.

Septic Pediatric Patients:

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Children age 5-19 years.

2. Diagnosis of severe sepsis diagnosed as clinical sepsis syndrome (requires two of the
following criteria):

- Source of infection

- Fever or Hypothermia

- Leukocytosis or Leucopenia

- Poor organ perfusion (such as delayed capillary refill or decreased urine output
or hypotension)

- Bacteremic sepsis demonstrated by positive blood culture

3. Indwelling central and/or arterial venous access as per clinical indication.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with metabolic diseases (i.e.: urea cycle disorders, cystinuria, Insulin
dependent diabetes mellitus, etc.).

2. Pregnancy.

3. Primary liver failure.

Healthy Children:

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age 13-19 years.

2. Evidence of health as assessed by physical exam, and laboratory tests, including:
Hematocrit no less than 36% for males and no less than 37% for females, white blood
cell count from 5-10,000.

3. Chemistries within normal range, normal urine analysis, and fasting plasma glucose
level no less than 60 or greater than 104 mg/dL.

4. Lean Children with BMI of 18-24.

5. Obese Children with BMI of 30 or greater.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Tobacco use.

2. Pregnancy.

3. Taking any prescription medication that affects amino acid metabolism, i.e.,
glucocorticoids.

4. History of acute or chronic illness.
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Dallas, Texas 75235
(214) 645-8300
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