Randomised clinical trial: effect of adding branched chain amino acids to exercise and standard-of-care on muscle mass in cirrhotic patients with sarcopenia.
Hepatol Int
; 16(3): 680-690, 2022 Jun.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35469091
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The role of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) in improving muscle mass in cirrhosis is presently debatable.AIMS:
To evaluate the role of BCAA in improving muscle mass in a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial in patients with cirrhosis having sarcopenia.METHODS:
Consecutive patients with cirrhosis with Child-Pugh score < 10 and sarcopenia were randomized to receive either 12 g/day of BCAA orally or a placebo (11) for 6 months in addition to a home-based exercise program (30 min/day), dietary counselling and standard medical therapy. Sarcopenia was defined according to gender-specific axial skeletal muscle index (SMI) cut-offs. The primary endpoint was a change in muscle mass based on CT scan (SMI) after 6 months of supplementation.RESULTS:
Sixty patients [mean age 41.6 ± 9.9 years; males (66.6%) of predominantly viral (40%) and alcohol-related (31.7%) cirrhosis] were randomized. Baseline clinical and demographic characters were similar except MELD score (10.2 ± 2.8 vs. 12.2 ± 3.5, p = 0.02) and calorie intake (1838.1 kcal ± 631.5 vs. 2217.5 kcal ± 707.3, p = 0.03), both being higher in the placebo arm. After adjusting for both baseline confounders, baseline SMI and protein intake, the change in SMI at 6 months was similar in both groups [mean adjusted difference (MAD) + 0.84, CI - 2.9; + 1.2, p = 0.42] by intention-to-treat analysis. The secondary outcomes including change in handgrip strength (p = 0.65), 6-m gait speed (p = 0.20), 6-min walk distance (p = 0.39) were similar in both arms. Four patients had minor adverse events in each arm.CONCLUSION:
Addition of BCAA to exercise, dietary counselling and standard medical therapy did not improve muscle mass in patients with cirrhosis having sarcopenia. (CTRI/2019/05/019269). TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER CTRI/2019/05/019269 (Clinical Trials Registry of India).Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Sarcopenia
Type of study:
Clinical_trials
Aspects:
Patient_preference
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Hepatol Int
Year:
2022
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
India