The response of 24 septic patients admitted into the ICU to total parenteral nutrition was studied, and the course of the parameters evaluated from non-surviving (14) and surviving patients was compared. Serum glucose, triglyceride, albumin, transferrin, prealbumin, RBP, zinc levels and CD4/CD8 ratio were measured at 48 hours, 4 days and 8 days after the onset of parenteral nutrition. Overall, a significant increase in prealbumin (p less than 0.01) and RBP (p less than 0.05) levels were the only findings to parenteral nutrition response. When the non-surviving and surviving groups were compared, the former showed a significant increase in serum triglyceride (p less than 0.001), while a significant increase in serum transferrin and CD4/CD8 ratio (p less than 0.01) was observed in the latter.