In vivo quantification of body nitrogen for nutritional assessment

Journal Article · Sat May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · Am. J. Clin. Nutr.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6964311

Cohn, S H; Vaswani, A N; Vartsky, D; Yasumura, S; Sawitsky, A; Gartenhaus, W; Ellis, K J

A series of experimental tests were carried out to study total body nitrogen (TBN), total body potassium (TBK), total body water (TBW) and total body calcium (TBCa). The prompt neutron activation and whole body counting techniques were used to measure TBN and TBK, respectively. TBW was measured with the use of the standard tritiated water radioisotopic technique. Three groups of subjects were studied: normal controls, obese women on protein sparing diets, and cancer patients on chemotherapy. In relation to TBN, the obese patients showed a minimal negative nitrogen balance 0.49 to 0.87 g/day. With regard to the cancer patients, the data obtained in this study clearly corroborate the clinical observations. In patients with severe wasting, it is the skeletal muscle mass that is predominantly lost, not the visceral life-supporting system.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY
• OSTI ID: 6964311
• Journal Information: Am. J. Clin. Nutr.; (United States), Vol. 35
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CALCIUM
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
NITROGEN
POTASSIUM
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY
PROMPT NEUTRONS
TISSUES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
WHOLE-BODY COUNTING
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BARYONS
BODY
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
FERMIONS
FISSION NEUTRONS
HADRONS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
METALS
NEUTRONS
NONMETALS
NUCLEONS
551001* - Physiological Systems- Tracer Techniques