Effects of total parenteral nutrition associated with glutamine, enteral fluid therapy, with or without glutamine, and fluid therapy on the lipidogram of horses subjected to starvation after laparotomy

ABSTRACT In order to evaluate the effect of total parenteral nutrition associated with glutamine and enteral fluid therapy, associated or not with glutamine, on the lipidogram of horses subjected to starvation (phase 1) and refeeding (phase 2), 16 adult healthy horses were used, mixed breed, aged between four and fourteen years and average weight of 248.40 ± 2.28kg, divided into four experimental groups, with four animals per group: Group ENTGL: enteral fluid therapy with electrolytes associated with glutamine; Group PARGL: total parenteral nutrition associated with glutamine; Group ENTFL: enteral fluid therapy with electrolytes; and Group PARFL: parenteral fluid therapy. This study was divided into two phases: phase 1 and phase 2. Phase 1 consisted of performing exploratory laparotomy and beginning of starvation, in addition to the administration of treatments, according to the group, while phase 2 consisted of re-feeding the animals. Total cholesterol values remained within the normal range for the species throughout the experimental period, but there was a slight increase during phase 1, followed by a decrease in values in phase 2. Hypertriglyceridemia in the ENFL, ENTGL and PARFL groups during phase 1 occurred because of the negative energy balance. The provision of enteral fluid therapy with electrolytes and an energy source, with or without glutamine, or parenteral fluid therapy were not effective in reversing the effects of negative energy balance. Thus, therapeutic protocols that combine enteral or parenteral fluid therapy for prolonged periods and food deprivation need additional nutritional support to avoid the deleterious effects of negative energy balance.