Unaffected arm muscle hypercatabolism in dysphagic subacute stroke patients: the effects of essential amino acid supplementation.

Alterations in muscle protein turnover of the unaffected side of stroke patients could contribute to physical disability. We investigated whether hypercatabolic activity occurred in unaffected arm muscle and whether supplemented essential amino acids (EAAs) could limit muscle hypercatabolism (MH). Thirty-eight dysphagic subacute stroke subjects (<3 months after acute event) (29 males+9 females; 69.

Essential amino acids and exercise tolerance in elderly muscle-depleted subjects with chronic diseases: a rehabilitation without rehabilitation?

Exercise intolerance remains problematic in subjects with chronic heart failure (CHF) and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Recent studies show that supplemented essential amino acids (EAAs) may exert beneficial effects on CHF/COPD physical capacity. The results from 3 investigations (2 conducted on CHF and 1 on COPD subjects) served as the basis for this paper.

Is stroke rehabilitation a metabolic problem?

Background: This study looks at the impact of inflammation during the rehabilitation stage of strokes and its effect on neuro-functional recovery.

Methods: This study investigated 94 patients suffering from strokes and admitted to rehabilitation. Anthropometric characteristics, serum proteins and inflammatory markers, plasma amino acids and neurofunction were all assessed.

Myofibrillar protein overdegradation in overweight patients with chronic heart failure: the relationship to serum potassium levels.

Objectives: Muscle release of the amino acid 3-methyl-histidine (3MH) is a sensitive index of myofibrillar protein overdegradation (MPO). We hypothesized that patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) could have increased muscle release of 3MH, which in turn reflects MPO, and that serum electrolyte sodium (Na(+)) and potassium (K(+)) levels may be associated with this 3MH muscle release.

Methods: Thirty-one overweight outpatients (body mass index, 27 ± 4.

Lung anabolic activity in patients with chronic heart failure: potential implications for clinical practice.

Objective: The proteins in the lungs are in constant flux, undergoing degradation and resynthesis. We investigated pulmonary protein and amino acid metabolism, the biochemical basis of the remodeling process, in individuals with chronic heart failure receiving or not receiving β-blocker therapy with bisoprolol (BIS).

Methods: Clinically stable rehabilitative patients with chronic heart failure, without metabolic diseases or liver/renal failure, and with a stable weight over the preceding 3 mo underwent right heart catheterization, and radial artery cannulation.

Nutrition for brain recovery after ischemic stroke: an added value to rehabilitation.

In patients who undergo rehabilitation after ischemic stroke, nutrition strategies are adopted to provide tube-fed individuals with adequate nutrition and/or to avoid the body wasting responsible for poor functional outcome and prolonged stay in the hospital. Investigations have documented that nutrition interventions can enhance the recovery of neurocognitive function in individuals with ischemic stroke. Experimental studies have shown that protein synthesis is suppressed in the ischemic penumbra.

Preserved muscle protein metabolism in obese patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: We hypothesized that obese chronic heart failure (CHF) patients, who are known to have less cardiac dysfunction, could show preserved muscle protein balance. The aim of this study was to relate muscle protein balance and cardiac function to body mass index (BMI) in order to provide further insight to the obesity paradox in CHF patients.

Methods: Thirty stable CHF patients were categorized by BMI (n=6, normal; n=14, overweight; n=10, obese) and underwent post-absorptive: (i) right heart catheterization to determine cardiac hemodynamics and (ii) arterial and venous blood sampling to measure arterial and venous levels of essential amino acids (EAAs) and to calculate arterovenous differences (positive = uptake; negative = release).

Effects of oral amino acid supplementation on long-term-care-acquired infections in elderly patients.

The very high general infection rate (IRI) observed in our Geriatric Intensive Rehabilitation Center (GIRC) led us to investigate whether patient supplementation with essential amino acids (EAAs), modulators of immuno-competence, could reduce IRI. Eighty elderly patients admitted to our GIRC (n=40; age 79.5 ± 7.

Spontaneous neurocognitive retrieval of patients with sub-acute ischemic stroke is associated with dietary protein intake.

Objective: To document the relationship between neurocognitive recovery and macronutrient intake of patients suffering from ischemic strokes.

Design: Thirty day prospective study of 17 patients suffering from sub-acute stroke (> 14 days from the index event; 10 males, 7 females; mean age 75 +/- 8 years) admitted to our rehabilitation unit.

Results: At admission (ADM), mean energy intake was inadequate (< 24 kcal/kg) for bodily needs, whereas protein (> 0.

Adequate energy-protein intake is not enough to improve nutritional and metabolic status in muscle-depleted patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: An adequate energy-protein intake (EPI) when combined with amino acid supplementation may have a positive impact on nutritional and metabolic status in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods And Results: Thirty eight stable CHF patients (27 males, 73.5+/-4 years; BMI 22.

Effect of calorie-protein supplementation on the cognitive recovery of patients with subacute stroke.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to investigate whether protein-calorie supplementation may enhance the cognitive retrieval of patients with stroke.

Patients And Methods: A randomized, double-blind, controlled pilot clinical trial was performed comparing diet and diet plus protein-calorie supplementation regimens. The subjects were 48 patients with subacute stroke (>or14 days from index event).

Branched-chain amino acids may improve recovery from a vegetative or minimally conscious state in patients with traumatic brain injury: a pilot study.

Objective: To investigate whether supplementation with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) may improve recovery of patients with a posttraumatic vegetative or minimally conscious state.

Design: Patients were randomly assigned to 15 days of intravenous BCAA supplementation (n=22; 19.6g/d) or an isonitrogenous placebo (n=19).

School teachers can effectively manage primary prevention of adult cardiovascular disease. The Stradella Project.

Objective: To determine whether school teachers educated about Primary Prevention of Adult Cardiovascular Disease (PPCVD) could help their students improve their blood lipid profile.

Method: Five teachers voluntarily received training about PP-CVD. Thirteen classes of a single high school in Stradella (north Italy) were randomized to receive a 2-month course on PP-CVD (PP-classes; 150 pupils) by their teachers or to a control group (control classes; 130 pupils) during 2004.

Branched-chain amino acids enhance the cognitive recovery of patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

Objective: To investigate whether supplementation with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) improves recovery of cognition and influences plasma concentrations of tyrosine and tryptophan, which are precursors of, respectively, catecholamine and serotonin neurotransmitters in the brain.

Design: Forty patients with TBI were randomly assigned to 15 days of intravenous BCAA supplementation (19.6g/d) (n=20) or an isonitrogenous placebo (n=20).

Plasma precursors of brain catecholaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmitters in rehabilitation patients with ischemic stroke.

Objective: To determine levels of plasma amino acid tyrosine and tryptophan, precursors of brain catecholamine and serotonin neurotransmitters, respectively, in rehabilitative patients with ischemic stroke.

Design: Controlled, pre-post analysis, consecutive sample.

Setting: Rehabilitation center.

Is nutritional intake adequate in chronic heart failure patients?

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate the nutrition adequacy and energy availability for physical activity in free-living, clinically stable patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Background: Little information exists regarding the nutrition adequacy and alimentary habits of patients with clinically stable CHF. We hypothesized that CHF patients have an inadequate intake of calories and protein, leading to a negative calorie and nitrogen balance, an expression of increased tissue breakdown.

Reduced plasma levels of tyrosine, precursor of brain catecholamines, and of essential amino acids in patients with severe traumatic brain injury after rehabilitation.

Objective: To investigate whether levels of plasma tyrosine and tryptophan, precursors of brain catecholamine and serotonin neurotransmitters, respectively, and other essential amino acids (EAA) may return to normal in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) after 2 months in a hospital rehabilitation center.

Design: Peripheral plasma concentrations of tyrosine, tryptophan, and other EAAs in subjects with severe TBI, both at admission (44+/-11d postinjury) and at discharge from the center (110+/-15d after acute event) were compared with concentrations in control subjects.

Setting: Tertiary care rehabilitation setting in Italy.