OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of intensive insulin therapy on resting energy expenditure in postoperative patients underwent radical distal gastrectomy.

METHODSSixty-four patients with gastric neoplasms in the middle or lower part of stomach from January to October 2010 were enrolled and underwent radical distal gastrectomy, then were randomized to intensive insulin therapy (IIT) group to keep glucose levels from 4.4 to 6.1 mmol/L or conventional insulin therapy (CIT) group to keep levels from 4.4 to 10.0 mmol/L. Resting energy expenditure (REE), respiratory quotient (RQ), resting energy expenditure per kilogram (REE/kg) and lipid oxidation ratio (LOR) were monitored by indirect energy metabolic system on preoperative and postoperative 1(st), 3(rd) and 7(th) day. Fasting blood glucose and insulin concentration were measured for HOMA-IR assessment.

RESULTSCompared with preoperative baseline, postoperative REE, REE/kg, LOR, Ln-HOMA-IR increased dramatically (P < 0.05, respectively). RQ decreased markedly (P < 0.05). Compared with group CIT, IIT reduced the REE/kg level [(27.2 ± 1.3) kcal/kg vs. (30.0 ± 1.5) kcal/kg, P = 0.008; (24.7 ± 1.4) vs. (25.7 ± 1.6) kcal/kg, P = 0.013]; and decreased the Ln-HOMA-IR score (P = 0.019 and 0.028) on postoperative 1(st) and 3(rd) day; IIT could decrease obviously the level of C-reaction protein level on postoperative 1(st) and 3(rd) day (P = 0.017, 0.006). The total protein and albumin concentration in IIT group were more than its levels in group CIT (P = 0.023, 0.009).

CONCLUSIONThere are some benefits of IIT in reducing mean energy expenditure and the consumption of proteins, decreasing postoperative insulin resistance level in this small population underwent radical distal gastrectomy.