Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of 12-week nutritional support using oral dietary supplements containing whey peptides and BCAA on inflammation and nutrition status in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation.
Subjects and methods: Thirty-five stable COPD patients who were undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation were divided into the supplemented group and the non-supplemented control group in an open-label controlled trial. Of the 35 patients, 23 were included in per protocol set analysis. Primary outcomes were levels of the systemic inflammatory markers TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and CRP and the nutritional marker serum albumin. Secondary outcomes were transthyretin level, transferrin level, body composition, respiratory function, respiratory muscle strength, 6-minute walk-test distance, muscle strength, and quality of life (QOL).
Results: The supplemented group showed significantly greater changes from baseline in serum albumin level(primary outcome)and body composition, transthyretin level, transferrin level, muscle strength, and QOL (secondary outcomes), as well as significant improvement in scores on the COPD Assessment Test and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire,[[not in the Japanese abstract]] than in the non-supplemented control group.
Conclusion: This study showed that the nutritional support provided improved serum albumin level, a nutritional marker, in COPD patients.
