Creatin and creatinine metabolism during convalescence after typhoid fever

Abstract

On account of the apparently intimate connection between “muscle efficiency” and the output of creatinine in human urine it seemed of some moment to investigate the creatin and creatinine excretion during convalescence from acute febrile disease. Patients convalescent from typhoid fever were selected because during the course of this disease there is considerable loss of muscle tissue, and on that account if creatin or creatinine take part in the synthetic processes of muscle regeneration, their utilization for this purpose might be more easily detected than in conditions where the metabolism is less active. Young adults and children were used exclusively, since it is reasonable to suppose that in such subjects anabolism occurs at its height.

The diet in all cases consisted of milk, eggs and cereals exclusively.

The following tables are compiled from the records of analyses which were made during two weeks of convalescence in each of these cases.