The simultaneous primed-constant infusion of [6-3H]- and [U-14C]glucose was used to determine the effect of burn injury on glucose turnover, oxidation, and recycling in guinea pigs. Eleven burned animals survived more than 72 h (survivors), whereas five died between 60 and 72 h postburn. All of the controls (n = 9) survived more than 72 h. At 48 h postburn, glucose turnover in the burned survivors was elevated 40% above that in control animals. A greater portion of the burned survivors' turnover was due to recycling and less was directed towards oxidation. The nonsurvivors had both a significantly depressed rate of appearance of glucose and an increased glucose clearance rate. Consequently, they were profoundly hypoglycemic and had a low rate of glucose oxidation. The alterations in glucose kinetics and oxidation apparent after burn did not reflect an inability of burned animals to oxidize exogenously infused glucose, however, because of 2-h infusion of 55 mumol/kg-min of unlabeled glucose doubled glucose oxidation in the burned survivors and tripled it in the nonsurvivors.
