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Oral supplementation with branched‐chain amino acid granules prevents hepatocarcinogenesis in patients with hepatitis C ‐related cirrhosis: A propensity score analysis
Author(s) -
Tada Toshifumi,
Kumada Takashi,
Toyoda Hidenori,
Kiriyama Seiki,
Tanikawa Makoto,
Hisanaga Yasuhiro,
Kanamori Akira,
Kitabatake Shusuke,
Niinomi Takuro,
Ito Takanori,
Hasegawa Ryohei,
Ando Yusuke,
Yamamoto Kenta,
Tanaka Tatsuya
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
hepatology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.123
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1872-034X
pISSN - 1386-6346
DOI - 10.1111/hepr.12120
Subject(s) - hepatocellular carcinoma , cirrhosis , medicine , gastroenterology , incidence (geometry) , propensity score matching , hazard ratio , hepatitis c virus , body mass index , confidence interval , hepatology , immunology , virus , physics , optics
Aim It has been reported that branched‐chain amino acids ( BCAA ) supplementation can improve nutritional status and reduce liver‐related complications in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. BCAA supplementation reportedly reduces the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC ) in obese cirrhotic patients infected with hepatitis C virus ( HCV ). We investigated the effects of oral supplementation with BCAA granules on hepatocarcinogenesis in patients with HCV ‐related cirrhosis using propensity score matching. Methods A total of 60 patients with HCV ‐related cirrhosis and without history of HCC who were selected by one‐to‐one matching of propensity scores: 30 patients receiving 12 g/day of BCAA granules for 3 months or more ( BCAA group) and 30 being observed without BCAA supplementation (control group). The impact of BCAA supplementation was analyzed on the incidence of HCC . Results The 3‐ and 5‐year rates of HCC development were 13.7% and 13.7% in the BCAA group and 35.1% and 44.5% in the control group, respectively. The BCAA group had a significantly lower rate of HCC than the control group ( P = 0.032). Multivariate analysis for factors that were associated with hepatocarcinogenesis indicated that BCAA supplementation was independently associated with a reduced incidence of HCC (hazard ratio 0.131; 95% confidence interval, 0.032–0.530; P = 0.004) along with sex and serum α‐fetoprotein. Obesity (body mass index, ≥25 kg/m 2 ) was not significantly associated with an increased incidence of HCC . Conclusion Oral supplementation with BCAA granules is associated with a reduced incidence of HCC in patients with HCV ‐related cirrhosis regardless of the presence of obesity based on the propensity score analysis.