Summary In recent years increasing interest has been given to nutritional therapy in a variety of chronic diseases, including cirrhosis. Protein/calorie malnutrition is a common feature of advanced liver disease, and considerably affects prognosis. Hence, the need for nutritional support to provide patients with the minimum protein requirements to balance increased catabolism. Although most patients tolerate normal protein supply, in subjects with impending encephalopathy a nutritional support with branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) was suggested on the basis of neuro-pharmacological studies. A large, randomized trial has recently provided evidence that BCAA may be superior to equicaloric and equinitrogenous supplements, improving survival and retarding hepatocellular failure. Administration schedules including a late evening supplementation may be particularly helpful. Biochemical studies are providing the rationale for the beneficial effects, showing that leucine may be an important regulator of amino acid/protein metabolism.

G Marchesini Reggiani, R Marzocchi, F Agostini, G Bianchi (2004). Nutritional therapy in cirrhosis. JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, 19, S401-S405.

Nutritional therapy in cirrhosis

MARCHESINI REGGIANI, GIULIO;MARZOCCHI, REBECCA;AGOSTINI, FEDERICA;BIANCHI, GIAMPAOLO
2004

Abstract

Summary In recent years increasing interest has been given to nutritional therapy in a variety of chronic diseases, including cirrhosis. Protein/calorie malnutrition is a common feature of advanced liver disease, and considerably affects prognosis. Hence, the need for nutritional support to provide patients with the minimum protein requirements to balance increased catabolism. Although most patients tolerate normal protein supply, in subjects with impending encephalopathy a nutritional support with branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) was suggested on the basis of neuro-pharmacological studies. A large, randomized trial has recently provided evidence that BCAA may be superior to equicaloric and equinitrogenous supplements, improving survival and retarding hepatocellular failure. Administration schedules including a late evening supplementation may be particularly helpful. Biochemical studies are providing the rationale for the beneficial effects, showing that leucine may be an important regulator of amino acid/protein metabolism.
2004
G Marchesini Reggiani, R Marzocchi, F Agostini, G Bianchi (2004). Nutritional therapy in cirrhosis. JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, 19, S401-S405.
G Marchesini Reggiani; R Marzocchi; F Agostini; G Bianchi
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/4554
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