Adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP) is a naturally occurring nucleotide present in every cell of the human body. Although ATP is known primarily for its role in intracellular energy metabolism, it also is widely distributed outside the cell. Extracellular ATP and its breakdown product, adenosine, are involved in the regulation of numerous biologic processes. ATP is the energy that drives cell activity, and energy intake from food ultimately is transformed to ATP.
Agteresch, H. J., Dagnelie, P. C., van der Gaast, A., Stijnen, T., & Wilson, J. H. (2000). Randomized clinical trial of adenosine 5’-triphosphate in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 92, 321–328.
A 30-hour infusion of adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP) was given every two to four weeks for 10 to 20 μg/kg/minute escalated to 75 μg/kg/minute. Regulation of biologic processes may be altered by ATP infusion to inhibit weight loss and deterioration of quality of life.
Beijer, S., Hupperets, P. S., van den Borne, B. E., Wijckmans, N. E., Spreeuwenberg, C., van den Brandt, P. A., & Dagnelie, P. C. (2010). Randomized clinical trial on the effects of adenosine 5'-triphosphate infusions on quality of life, functional status, and fatigue in preterminal cancer patients. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 40, 520–530.
To investigate the effects of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) infusions on quality-of-life (QOL) parameters in patients with preterminal cancers of mixed tumor types.
Patients were randomized to the usual care control group with standard nutritional advice or to the intervention of usual care, nutritional advice, and ATP infusion. An eight- to 10-hour ATP infusion was given weekly, with a maximum dose of 50 µ/kg/minute.
The study was a randomized, controlled trial.
Better survival was observed during the eight-week intervention in the ATP group. The rationale was that palliative cancer drugs cause serious side effects. The authors concluded that that may be an advantage of the ATP treatment.
The study provided little useful information for nurses.