Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35168004›Full record

SynthesisClinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)2022

The effects of elective abdominal surgery on protein turnover: A meta-analysis of stable isotope techniques to investigate postoperative catabolism.

Matthew Jaconelli, Paul L Greenhaff, Philip J Atherton, Dileep N Lobo, Matthew S Brook

Open access · hybridAbstract readMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. EARLY REFEEDING AFTER COLORECTAL CANCER SURGERY REDUCES COMPLICATIONS AND LENGTH OF HOSPITAL STAY.Arquivos brasileiros de cirurgia digestiva : ABCD = Brazilian archives of digestive surgery · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Matthew JaconelliMRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research, Metabolic and Molecular Physiology, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK; School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
Paul L GreenhaffMRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research, Metabolic and Molecular Physiology, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK; School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals and University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
Philip J AthertonMRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research, Metabolic and Molecular Physiology, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals and University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK; School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Royal Derby Hospital, Derby, UK.
Dileep N LoboMRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research, Metabolic and Molecular Physiology, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals and University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK; Gastrointestinal Surgery, Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals and University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK. Electronic address: dileep.lobo@nottingham.ac.uk.
Matthew S BrookMRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research, Metabolic and Molecular Physiology, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK; School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals and University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
University of Nottingham · GBNottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust · GB

Funding

Arthritis Research UK 19891Medical Research Council MR/K00414X/1Medical Research Council MR/P021220/1Versus Arthritis 19891
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND &

aimsElective surgery induces skeletal muscle wasting driven by an imbalance between muscle protein synthesis and breakdown. From examination of diverse stable isotope tracer techniques, the dynamic processes driving this imbalance are unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to elucidate the mechanistic driver(s) of postoperative protein catabolism through stable isotope assessment of protein turnover before and after abdominal surgery.

methodsMeta-analysis was performed of randomized controlled trials and cohort studies in patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery that contained measurements of whole-body or skeletal muscle protein turnover using stable isotope tracer methodologies pre- and postoperatively. Postoperative changes in protein synthesis and breakdown were assessed through subgroup analysis of tracer methodology and perioperative care.

resultsSurgery elicited no overall change in protein synthesis [standardized mean difference (SMD) -0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.32, 0.39, p = 0.25]. However, subgroup analysis revealed significant suppressions via direct-incorporation methodology [SMD -1.53, 95%CI: -2.89, -0.17, p = 0.03] within skeletal muscle. Changes of this nature were not present among arterio-venous [SMD 0.61, 95%CI: -1.48, 2.70, p = 0.58] or end-product [SMD -0.09, 95%CI: -0.81, 0.64, p = 0.82] whole-body measures. Surgery resulted in no overall change in protein breakdown [SMD 0.63, 95%CI: -0.06, 1.32, p = 0.07]. Yet, separation by tracer methodology illustrated significant increases in urinary end-products (urea/ammonia) [SMD 0.70, 95%CI: 0.38, 1.02, p < 0.001] that were not present among arterio-venous measures [SMD 0.67, 95%CI: -1.05, 2.38, p = 0.45].

conclusionsElective abdominal surgery elicits suppressions in skeletal muscle protein synthesis that are not reflected on a whole-body level. Lack of uniform changes across whole-body tracer techniques are likely due to contribution from tissues other than skeletal muscle.

Indexed as

Elective Surgical ProceduresIsotopesAbdomenHumansMuscle, SkeletalPostoperative PeriodIsotopesMeta-analysisMuscle protein breakdownMuscle protein synthesisPostoperativeStable isotope studiesSurgery

Identifiers

PMID35168004
PMCPMC8902515
OpenAlexW4210356284

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.