title: Effects of home-based exercise and branched-chain amino acid supplementation on aerobic capacity and glycemic control in patients with cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the current study is to examine whether home-based step exercise at anaerobic threshold (AT) and branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation improve aerobic capacity, ectopic fat in liver and muscle, and glycemic control in patients with liver cirrhosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six female patients with compensated liver cirrhosis received oral BCAA and were instructed to undertake bench step exercises at an intensity that corresponded to AT, with a goal of performing 140 min of exercise per week at home for 12 months. Fat deposition in liver (liver to spleen ratio) and intramuscular adipose tissue content were assessed at baseline and after 6 and 12 months by computed tomography. Glycemic control indices (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, hemoglobin A1c[HbA1c], glycated albumin [GA] and chronic liver disease [CLD]-HbA1c[average of HbA1cand GA/3]) were also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve months of moderate training significantly increased AT, which is an index of aerobic capacity, but no changes were observed in body weight, liver to spleen ratio, or intramuscular adipose tissue content. Glycated albumin significantly decreased (P < 0.05) and there tended to be a similar decrease in CLD-HbA1c(P < 0.1) after the exercise. The baseline serum triglyceride level correlated with changes in GA (P < 0.01) and CLD-HbA1c(P < 0.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current results suggest that the combination of home-based step exercise at AT and BCAA supplementation enhances aerobic capacity and potentially improves glycemic control in patients with cirrhosis without changes in body weight. The baseline serum serum triglyceride may partially explain the degree of improvement in glycemic control with exercise and BCAA intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ide
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Taiga
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Eguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Iwata
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ozaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Keitaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Imari Arita Kyoritsu Hospital, Arita, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mizuta
keywords: aerobic fitness; anaerobic threshold; exercise training; glycated albumin; insulin resistance; liver cirrhosis