The Effects of Administration of Protein Hydrolysate (Amigen), Testosterone and Folic Acid on Nitrogen Balance in Patients with Chronic Pulmonary Tuberculosis

¹ The Pulmonary and Medical Divisions of Montefiore Hospital.

1) Nitrogen balance studies were made on six patients with chronic wasting disease. Five of them had chronic pulmonary tuberculosis; three were in positive and two in negative nitrogen balance at the start of the experimental period. The sixth patient had non-specific ulcerative colitis and was also in negative nitrogen balance. Periods of therapy with Amigen, testosterone and folic acid alone or in combination, were alternated with control periods for comparison as to the effect on the course of the disease when patients were in negative and positive nitrogen balance.

2) When patients were at bedrest, Amigen administration did not increase the nitrogen as markedly as when they were ambulant, Amigen improved the nitrogen balance.

3) During periods of activity of the disease, the use of Amigen did not as a rule increase the nitrogen balance. The degree of nitrogen retention during Amigen administration varied inversely with the degree of nitrogen and nutritional deficiency at the time.

4) Folic acid or testosterone increased nitrogen retention more than Amigen alone.

5) Increase in plasma volume and total circulating proteins was frequently seen following proportional to the increase in nitrogen retention.

6) The disease state was not altered by the intravenous administration of protein hydrolysate although the nitrogen imbalance was corrected by the parenteral administration of Amigen.