Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 14, 2014; 20(10): 2673-2680
Published online Mar 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i10.2673
Effect of branched-chain amino acids in patients receiving intervention for hepatocellular carcinoma
Tomoaki Ishihara, Motoh Iwasa, Hideaki Tanaka, Masahiko Kaito, Jiro Ikoma, Toshiya Shibata, Yoshiyuki Takei
Tomoaki Ishihara, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokkaichi Digestive Disease Center, Komono, Mie 510-1232, Japan
Motoh Iwasa, Hideaki Tanaka, Yoshiyuki Takei, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
Masahiko Kaito, Jiro Ikoma, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mie Shokakinaika, Tsu, Mie 514-0062, Japan
Toshiya Shibata, Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
Author contributions: Ishihara T contributed to the study conception and design, analysis and interpretation of data, acquisition of data, drafting the article; Iwasa M contributed to the interpretation of data, drafting the article and revising it; Tanaka H contributed to the acquisition of data; Kaito M contributed to the acquisition of data; Ikoma J contributed to the the acquisition of data; Shibata T contributed to the acquisition of data; Takei Y contributed to the final approval of the article.
Correspondence to: Motoh Iwasa, MD, PhD, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Edobashi 2-174, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan. motoh@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-59-2315017 Fax: +81-59-2315223
Received: July 2, 2013
Revised: August 9, 2013
Accepted: December 12, 2013
Published online: March 14, 2014
Processing time: 252 Days and 19 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: This study investigated whether the short-term effect of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or radiofrequency ablation (RFA), focusing on BCAA treatment prior to therapeutic intervention, suppresses the decrease in serum albumin (Alb) level associated with TACE or RFA and reduces postoperative complications. We thought that C-reactive protein (CRP) elevation was suppressed in BCAA-treated patients, that the severity of fever was milder as a result of BCAA treatment, and that the serum Alb level decreased to a lesser extent in patients with milder changes in CRP level.