Abstract

Background The liver is the primary organ for amino acid metabolism, and metabolic disorder of amino acids is common in liver disease. However, the characteristics of plasma amino acid profiles in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis and the impacts of late-evening snack (LES) on cirrhosis are unclear. Objectives To investigate the characteristics of plasma amino acid profiles in patients with HBV-related chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and the effects of late-evening snacks on plasma amino acid profiles. Methods 86 patients with HBV-related cirrhosis and eighty patients with chronic hepatitis B were included in this study. The plasma amino acid profiles were measured by the amino acid analyzer. Patients were randomly divided into two groups, of which the liver cirrhosis group was to receive daily LES (n = 43) or non-LES (n = 43) for 6 months. Plasma amino acid profiles and biochemical parameters were measured in both groups at baseline and after 1, 3, and 6 months. Results Compared to healthy controls, the plasma concentration in the liver cirrhosis group of threonine, serine, glycine, glutamine, cysteine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, arginine, and methionine increased significantly (P < 0.05), while the ratio of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) to aromatic amino acids (AAA) decreased significantly (P < 0.05). A carbohydrate-predominant LES treatment resulted in a significant increase in BCAA/AAA and decrease in the level of ammonia and glutamine compared with baseline after 6 months of supplementation (P < 0.05). Patients with Child-Pugh B and C are more responsive to changes in amino acid profiles than those with Child-Pugh A. Conclusions The application of an LES carbohydrate module for six months in liver cirrhosis patients was associated with increased BCAA/AAA and decreased level of ammonia. Patients with Child-Pugh B and C grades were the most beneficial population.

Highlights

  • Liver cirrhosis is the result of chronic liver injury caused by various etiologies

  • According to the World Health Organization in July 2015, more than 240 million people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis B, amid which 20%30% develop cirrhosis or liver cancer, and more than 780,000 annual deaths due to hepatitis B-related cirrhosis and liver cancer [1]

  • The goal of the current study is to investigate the effect of a carbohydrate-containing late-evening snack on plasma amino acid profiles in adults with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis

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Summary

Introduction

Liver cirrhosis is the result of chronic liver injury caused by various etiologies. According to the World Health Organization in July 2015, more than 240 million people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis B, amid which 20%30% develop cirrhosis or liver cancer, and more than 780,000 annual deaths due to hepatitis B-related cirrhosis and liver cancer [1]. The characteristics of plasma amino acid profiles in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis and the impacts of lateevening snack (LES) on cirrhosis are unclear. The plasma concentration in the liver cirrhosis group of threonine, serine, glycine, glutamine, cysteine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, arginine, and methionine increased significantly (P < 0:05), while the ratio of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) to aromatic amino acids (AAA) decreased significantly (P < 0:05). A carbohydrate-predominant LES treatment resulted in a significant increase in BCAA/AAA and decrease in the level of ammonia and glutamine compared with baseline after 6 months of supplementation (P < 0:05). The application of an LES carbohydrate module for six months in liver cirrhosis patients was associated with increased BCAA/AAA and decreased level of ammonia. Patients with Child-Pugh B and C grades were the most beneficial population

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