| Theme | Cirrhosis -- Recent Progress in Diagnosis and Treatmen | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Clinical Significance of Branched-chain Amino Acid Supplementation for Patients with Cirrhosis | |
| Publish Date | 2014/04 | |
| Author | Ryujin Endo | Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, School of Medicine |
| Author | Kei Sawara | Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, School of Medicine |
| Author | Kei Endo | Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, School of Medicine |
| Author | Yasuhiro Takikawa | Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, School of Medicine |
| Author | Akinobu Kato | Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, School of Medicine |
| Author | Kazuyuki Suzuki | Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, School of Medicine |
| [ Summary ] | Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is common in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). It is also a significant predictor of complications and survival in those patients. The clinical significance of supplemental branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) may be obsarved in the management of hepatic encephalopathy in LC patients. It has recently become evident that long-term oral administration of BCAA supplements decreases the progression of hepatic failure and improves event-free survival and QOL, as well as serum albumin concentrations, in decompensated LC patients. In addition, a series of subsequent studies have suggested that BCAA has suppressive effects on hepato-carcinogenesis partly by improving the insulin resistance associated with cirrhosis. Therefore, various pharmacological roles for BCAA have been suggested. | |