The Benefit of the Supplementation of Perioperative Branched-Chain Amino Acids in Patients with Surgical Management for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: a Preliminary Study

The aim of this work was to study the benefit of supplementation with a branched chain amino acids enriched nutrient mixture on the physical and mental condition following hepatic surgery in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 41 patients with HCC who underwent hepatic surgery (36 hepatic resection and five radiofrequency ablation therapy) were enrolled in this comparative study. These patients were divided into two groups: 13 patients received perioperative supplementation of a branched chain amino acids enriched nutrient mixture (AEN group) and 28 patients did not (control group). Between these two groups, laboratory data, postoperative complications and the length of hospital stay were analyzed comparatively. Restoration of peripheral lymphocyte count and serum total cholesterol level at 3 months after the operation was significantly faster in the AEN group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The length of hospitalization in the AEN group was significantly shorter than in the control group (P < 0.05). This preliminary case control study suggested that the perioperative supplementation of a branched chain amino acids enriched nutrient mixture is of clinical benefit for nutritional support of patients surgically managed for HCC in chronic liver disease.