Amino Acid Profile in Malnourished Patients with Liver Cirrhosis and Its Modification with Oral Nutritional Supplements: Implications on Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy.

ABSTRACT: Low plasma levels of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) in liver cirrhosis are associated with hepatic encephalopathy (HE). We aimed to identify a metabolic signature of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in malnourished cirrhotic patients and evaluate its modification with oral nutritional supplements (ONS) enriched with ß-Hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB), a derivative of the BCAA leucine. Post hoc analysis was conducted on a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 43 individuals with cirrhosis and malnutrition, who were randomized to receive, for 12 weeks, oral supplementation twice a day with either 220 mL of Ensure^® Plus Advance (HMB group, n = 22) or with 220 mL of Ensure^® Plus High Protein (HP group, n = 21). MHE evaluation was by psychometric hepa

SUBMITTER: Espina S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8617874 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature