Lack of Modulation of Postoperative Immunosuppression by Isotonic Amino Acid Infusion

ABSTRACT. Effects of an isotonic amino acid solution on the immune defence systems of surgical patients were studied. Twenty-two patients admitted for major abdominal operations were randomly allocated into two groups. Eleven of them re-ceived 1 liter of 3 % amino acid solution daily for 5 days postoperatively, while 11 control patients received balanced 5% glucose-containing electrolyte solutions. Immune variables were studied preoperatively and at 1, 3 to 4, and 6 to 7 days postoperatively. These studies included leukocyte and differ-ential counts, T (OKT3+), B (sIg+), T helper/inducer (OKT4+) and suppressor/cytotoxic (OKT8+) cell determina-tions, measurement of in vitro lymphocytic responses to phy-tohemagglutinin (PHA), pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and Staph-ylococcus aureus Cowan I (StaCw) in cultures of separated lymphocytes, and to PHA, concanavalin A (Con A), and PW