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Effects of a whey peptide-based enteral formula diet on liver dysfunction following living donor liver transplantation

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Abstract

Background and aims

Whey protein, a protein complex derived from milk is well known as a functional food with a number of health benefits. MEIN® (Meiji Dairies Co., Tokyo Japan) is a functional liquid-type nutritional diet containing whey-hydrolyzed peptide. In this study, we examined the effects of MEIN® on postoperative liver dysfunction in patients who underwent living donor-related liver transplantation (LDLT).

Methods

Sixteen adult patients transplanted between 2005 and 2011 at our institute were evaluated retrospectively. In MEIN group (n = 8), administration of MEIN® was started around 14 days after liver transplantation when serum liver enzymes were re-elevated, while MEIN® was not administered in the control group (n = 8) who did not have postoperative liver dysfunction.

Results

In the preoperative clinical characteristics, the model for end-stage liver disease score in the MEIN group was significantly lower than that in the control group. The graft-to-recipient body weight ratio in the MEIN group was lower than that in the control group. Elevation of enzymes in the liver function tests such as alanine aminotransferase and total bilirubin, and C-reactive protein in the MEIN group had significantly improved, and became almost normal values which were the same as those in the control group.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that administration of whey-hydrolyzed peptide attenuates the post-transplant liver dysfunction and may avoid an unnecessary liver biopsy.

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Abbreviations

AST:

Aspartate aminotransferase

ALT:

Alanine aminotransferase

CRP:

C-reactive protein

CT:

Computed tomography

GRWR:

Graft-to-recipient body weight ratio

HBV:

Hepatitis B virus

HCV:

Hepatitis C virus

LDLT:

Living related donor liver transplantation

LPS:

Lipopolysaccharide

MRCP:

Magnetic resonance imaging

MELD:

Model for end-stage liver disease

T-Bil:

Total bilirubin

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Acknowledgments

This study was partly supported by the Food Science Research Laboratories, Meiji Co., Ltd.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Institute of Health Bioscience, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan

    Yusuke Arakawa, Mitsuo Shimada, Tohru Utsunomiya, Satoru Imura, Yuji Morine, Tetsuya Ikemoto & Jun Hanaoka

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  1. Yusuke Arakawa
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  2. Mitsuo Shimada
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  3. Tohru Utsunomiya
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  4. Satoru Imura
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  5. Yuji Morine
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  6. Tetsuya Ikemoto
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  7. Jun Hanaoka
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Correspondence to Yusuke Arakawa.

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Arakawa, Y., Shimada, M., Utsunomiya, T. et al. Effects of a whey peptide-based enteral formula diet on liver dysfunction following living donor liver transplantation. Surg Today 44, 44–49 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-012-0466-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-012-0466-4

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