The plasma amino acid pattern of cirrhotic patients was determined before and after 24 h of continuous infusions of glucose, ornithine α-ketoglutarate (OαKG), ornithine chlorhydrate (ORN HCl) and sodium ketoglutarate (αCGNa). Before treatment, leucine, iso-leucine, valine and glutamine levels were low. Tyrosine and methionine levels were high. Leu+Ile+Val/Phe+tyr was low Glucose infusions had no effect. OαKG increased levels of leucine, iso-leucine, valine, alanine and arginine. Threonine, serine, glycine, aspartic acid, methionine, hemicystine, tyrosine and phenylalanine were significantly lowered. Leu+Ile+Val/Phe+tyr increased. ORN HCl and αCGNa did not induce similar cha