1. Adding Branched-Chain Amino Acids to an Enhanced Standard-of-Care Treatment Improves Muscle Mass of Cirrhotic Patients With Sarcopenia: A Placebo-Controlled Trial
- Author
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José Luis Martínez-Porras, Enrique Van den Brule, Elba Llop, Maria Trapero, Lucía Gómez-Pimpollo, Natalia Fernández-Puga, Luis L. Rodriguez, Enrique Fraga, Christie Perelló, Javier Abad, Carlos Fernández Carrillo, Carlos Ferre, Marta López-Gómez, Jose Luis Calleja, and Marta Hernández-Conde
- Subjects
Liver Cirrhosis ,Male ,Sarcopenia ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Cirrhosis ,Placebo-controlled study ,Pilot Projects ,Muscle mass ,Placebo ,Gastroenterology ,Double-Blind Method ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Humans ,Prospective Studies ,Muscle, Skeletal ,Aged ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,Hepatology ,business.industry ,Albumin ,Standard of Care ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Amino acid ,chemistry ,Cohort ,Female ,business ,Amino Acids, Branched-Chain - Abstract
INTRODUCTION The effect of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation on muscle mass in patients with cirrhosis and sarcopenia is unknown. METHODS This is a pilot, prospective, randomized, and double-blind study of a cohort of 32 patients with cirrhosis and sarcopenia diagnosed by computed tomography scan who underwent a nutritional and physical activity intervention for 12 weeks. They were divided into 2 groups (placebo: 17 patients; BCAA: 15 patients). The study protocol was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04073693). RESULTS Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. After treatment, only the BCAA group presented a significant improvement in muscle mass (43.7 vs 46 cm2/m2; P = 0.023). Seventeen patients (63%) presented improvement in muscle mass overall, which was more frequent in the BCAA group (83.3 vs 46.7%; P = 0.056). Regarding frailty, there was a significant improvement in the Liver Frailty Index in the global cohort (n = 32) after the 12 weeks (4.2 vs 3.9; P < 0.001). This difference was significant in both groups: in the placebo group (4.2 vs 3.8; P < 0.001) and in the BCAA group (4.2 vs 3.9; P < 0.001). After treatment, the BCAA group had a higher increase in zinc levels than the placebo group (Δzinc: 12.3 vs 5.5; P = 0.026). In addition, there was a trend for greater improvement of albumin levels in the BCAA group (Δalbumin: 0.19 vs 0.04; P = 0.091). DISCUSSION BCAA supplementation improves muscle mass in cirrhotic patients with sarcopenia.
- Published
- 2021