Short-term effect of whey protein supplementation on the quality of life of patients waiting for liver transplantation : a double blinded randomized clinical trial.

• Autor(a) principal: D´Alessandro, Michelle Carvalho de Oliveira
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Gomes, Amanda Dias, Morais, Jéssica França, Mizubuti, Yani Glaúcia Gomide, Silva, Thales Antônio da, Mauricio, Silvia Fernandes, Mendes, Larissa Loures, Correia, Maria Isabel Toulson Davisson, Generoso, Simone de Vasconcelos
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UFOP
• Texto Completo: http://www.repositorio.ufop.br/jspui/handle/123456789/16390; https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-672020210002e1596
• topic: Nutritional status

Background: Chronic liver disease is associated with malnutrition that negatively impacts a patient’s health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Aim: To evaluate the short-term effect of whey protein supplementation on the HRQoL and nutritional and functional status of patients waiting for liver transplantation. Methods: This was a double-blind randomized clinical trial with patients waiting for liver transplantation who were randomized into two groups: WP (whey protein supplementation) and the control (casein supplementation). Both groups received 40 g (20 g in the morning and 20 g in the evening) for 15 days. Nutritional and functional status were evaluated. Energy balance was calculated as the difference between energy intake (24-hour recall) and total energy expenditure (assessed by indirect calorimetry). The chronic liver disease questionnaire was used to assess HRQoL. All measurements were performed before and after the intervention. Results: Fifty-six patients were evaluated. Malnutrition was present in 56.9%, and it was directly associated with a poor HRQoL (p<0.05). No improvement on the nutritional and functional status was observed, in either group after protein supplementation. HRQoL improved after WP and casein supplementation, with no differences between groups (p>0.05). Patients who met protein requirements and had a positive energy balance demonstrated a higher HRQoL score (4.9, p<0.05), without between-group differences. Conclusion: Malnutrition substantially reduces HRQoL. Short-term WP or casein supplementation improved similarly the HRQoL.