Comparison of the effect of BCAA granules on between decompensated and compensated cirrhosis.

Background/aims: We designed a randomized trial to examine whether increase or preservation of serum albumin levels was attained with administration of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) granules for compensated cirrhosis, compared with decompensated cirrhosis.

Methodology: Sixty-five patients with HCV-related cirrhosis with serum albumin level less than 4.0 g/dl were enrolled in this study.

Relationship between branched-chain amino acid to tyrosine ratio (BTR) and porto-systemic shunt in the Child-Pugh grade A cirrhosis determined by per-rectal portal scintigraphy.

We examined the difference between early cirrhotic patients with lower branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) to tyrosine ratio (BTR) (<4) and higher BTR (>4) in portal circulation using per-rectal portal scintigraphy with technetium-99m pertechnetate. Forty patients with Child-Pugh grade A cirrhosis and serum albumin level between 3.5 and 3.

Effect of oral supplementation with branched-chain amino acid granules on serum albumin level in the early stage of cirrhosis: a randomized pilot trial.

We designed a randomized pilot trial to examine whether increase or preservation of serum albumin levels was attained with earlier administration of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) granules for cirrhosis in grade A according to Child-Pugh classification using branched-chain tyrosine ratio (BTR) as an indicator. Forty patients with HCV-related cirrhosis in grade A with serum albumin level between 3.5 and 3.

Meshwork pattern is an important risk factor for development of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with HBV-related chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis.

We analyzed the importance of 'meshwork pattern', a sign representing severe irregularity on the intra-hepatic echogram, in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis, as a risk factor for development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Two hundred and thirty-one patients (143 men and 88 women) with HBV-related chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis who visited our hospital from January 1993 to December 1994 were enrolled in this study. Since enrollment, abdominal ultrasonography had in principle been performed every 3 months for cirrhotic patients and every 4-6 months for patients with chronic hepatitis for HCC screening.