title: Additional BCAA-enriched nutrient mixture improves the nutritional condition in cirrhotic patients with hypoalbuminemia despite treatment with regular BCAA granules: A pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the effect of adding branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-enriched nutrient mixtures in cirrhotic patients with hypoalbuminemia despite the use of BCAA granules.
  
  
  METHODS
  A BCAA-enriched nutrient mixture containing 5.6 g of BCAA and 210 kcal was additionally administered in 40 cirrhotic patients with hypoalbuminemia despite their treatment with BCAA granules containing 12 g of BCAA. Laboratory data were assessed at 6 months before beginning additional therapy, at baseline, and at 6 months after baseline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum albumin levels significantly decreased from 6 months before baseline (3.14±0.47 g/dL) to baseline (2.83±0.46 g/dL), despite the treatment with BCAA granules (p<0.001), and tended to increase from baseline to 6 months after baseline (2.95±0.42 g/dL) (p=0.084). In the subset of 23 patients without hepatocellular carcinoma treatments, upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding, or albumin infusion, serum albumin levels significantly increased from baseline (2.93±0.38 g/dL) to 6 months after baseline (3.15±0.34 g/dL) (p=0.014).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Additional therapy with BCAA-enriched nutrient mixtures increased serum albumin levels of the cirrhotic patients with hypoalbuminemia despite the treatment with BCAA granules and without hepatocellular carcinoma treatment, upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding, or albumin infusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy Practice and Health Care Management, Meijo University Faculty of Pharmacy, Nagoya, Japan; Department of Liver, Biliary Tract and Pancreas Diseases, Fujita Health University Faculty of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan. kyoshiok@fujita-hu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Aiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawabe
authors.forename: Senju
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Michihito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murao
authors.forename: Takuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimazaki
authors.forename: Toshiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakaoka
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohki
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takagawa
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kamei
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D034141:Hypoalbuminemia / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain; D012709:Serum Albumin