Abstract / Summary
Objectives: To investigate the effects of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-enriched nutritional supplementation after exercise on skeletal muscle and walking ability in patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery.
Methods: Fifty patients with gastric or colorectal cancer scheduled for surgery were enrolled in this single-center, single-blind, randomized controlled study. Patients were randomly assigned to a BCAA-enriched jelly group (test group) or an amino acid-free jelly group (control group). Both groups received perioperative exercise therapy and jelly supplementation immediately after exercise. The primary endpoints were percentage changes in thigh skeletal muscle area from pre-intervention to 9 weeks after discharge and from 2 weeks after surgery to 9 weeks after discharge. Secondary endpoints were changes in isometric knee extension and flexion strength and 6-minute walk distance.
Results: One patient withdrew consent; therefore, the full analysis set consisted of 24 patients in the test group and 25 patients in the control group. The percentage changes in quadriceps area from pre-intervention to 9 weeks after discharge were 3.24 ± 6.63% and 2.34 ± 16.59% in the test and control groups, respectively, with no significant difference. From 2 weeks after surgery to 9 weeks after discharge, the changes were 8.40 ± 7.57% and 4.44 ± 12.93%, respectively, with no significant difference. No significant differences were observed in hamstring area, lower-limb strength, or 6-minute walk distance between the two groups.
Conclusions: Perioperative exercise therapy combined with BCAA-enriched supplementation did not significantly improve thigh skeletal muscle area, muscle strength, or walking ability after surgery in patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery compared with amino acid-free supplementation. Further studies with adequate sample sizes and higher BCAA intake are warranted.