RESULTS	Median ( quartiles ) rate of protein synthesis had decreased on the third postoperative day in the saline group by 49 % ( from 2.42 [ 2.03 , 2.54 ] to 1.24 [ 0.99 , 1.63 ] ) and in the group that had received total parenteral nutrition by 54 % ( from 1.96 [ 1.90 , 2.07 ] to 0.91 [ 0.79 , 1.06 ] ) ( p < 0.01 ) .\