Blood sulfur-amino acid concentration reflects an impairment of liver transsulfuration pathway in patients with acute abdominal inflammatory processes

Whole-blood free amino acids were measured in a control group made up of eight healthy women fasted for 12 h and also in eight patients with acute pancreatitis, five patients with acute cholecystitis and seven patients with acute appendicitis. Blood was withdrawn immediately on admission to hospital and again 3 d later following a controlled peripheral parenteral nutrition diet; this is with the exception of the appendicitis group. L-CYSTATHIONINE AND l-methionine concentrations were significantly higher in pancreatitis and appendicitis patients when compared with controls. In the pancreatitis and cholecystitis patients, l-serine concentration was also significantly higher when compared wit…