Effect of branched-chain amino acid supplementation and exercise on quadriceps muscle quantity and quality in patients with cirrhosis as assessed by ultrasonography: A randomized controlled trial
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM
Sarcopenia and myosteatosis are common in patients with cirrhosis. The study aimed to evaluate efficacy of ultrasound to monitor muscle status during branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation and/or muscle exercise interventional approaches.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
A randomized controlled study, included 220 liver cirrhosis patients with Child- Pugh B and C, randomized into a control group (55 patients) received only the standard care, and interventional groups (165 patients) equally distributed into three subgroups, in addition to standard care, they received BCAA, programmed exercise, or BCAA and programmed exercise. At baseline and after 28 days, all participants were subjected to ultrasound-measured quadriceps muscle thickness and echo-intensity, muscle strength using handgrip, performance using short physical performance battery (SPPB), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score and nutritional assessment using 7- point Subjective Global Assessment Score (SGA) and laboratory assessment.
RESULTS
All interventional groups showed a significant improvement in the ultrasound detected quadriceps muscle thickness (p = 0.001) and echo intensity, in addition to muscle strength, muscle performance, and SGA. Hematological parameters (hemoglobin and platelet count), biochemical parameters (ALT, AST, bilirubin, creatinine, urea and INR) and MELD score were also improved in the interventional groups. In Child-Pugh B patients BCAA combined with exercise showed…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 220 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Ferulic acid regulates the AKT/GSK-3β/CRMP-2 signaling pathway in a middle cerebral artery occlusion animal model
- Novel Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Parameters Quantify the Exposure–Effect Relationship of Levofloxacin against Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Escherichia coli
- Photochemical behavior of levofloxacin
- Correlation Between Dissolution Profiles of Salt-Form Drugs in Biorelevant Bicarbonate Buffer and Oral Drug Absorption: Importance of Dose/ Fluid Volume Ratio
- Evaluation of the synergistic potential and mechanisms of action for de novo designed cationic antimicrobial peptides
- Synthesis of [11C]levofloxacin
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.