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Whole Body Electromyostimulation and Nutritional Therapy for Patients With Chronic Liver Disease

Not Applicable
Conditions
Liver Diseases
Interventions
Procedure: nutritional therapy
Procedure: WB-EMS combined with nutritional therapy
Registration Number
NCT03274388
Lead Sponsor
University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of an innovative combined therapy involving optimized protein-rich nutritional therapy and highly effective muscle training by personalized whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) exercise to improve muscle mass, strength and functionality, physical capacity, fatigue and quality of life of patients with chronic liver disease.

Detailed Description

In the course of chronic liver disease a systemic inflammatory reaction promotes mediators leading to a loss of appetite, as well as to metabolic and hormonal changes. Consequences hereof are a decreased food uptake, a deteriorated nutrient utilization and a loss of muscles, with or without fat loss leading to cachexia. Especially muscle loss has a relevant influence on morbidity and mortality of chronic liver patients. The loss of muscle is probably due to a deteriorated protein synthesis with concurrent anabolic resistance. These pathologic processes increase the protein requirements of chronic liver patients dramatically.

The purpose of this study is to establish an innovative combined therapy involving optimized nutritional therapy and highly effective muscle training by personalized whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) exercise to improve the quality of life (QLQ) of patients with serious chronic disease. An improvement of QLQ results from an increase in muscle mass and strength, thereby increasing physical activity, physical capability as well as tolerance to and applicability of therapy. In the course of a 3-months intervention study the efficacy of a combined German-guidelines-recommended protein-rich nutritional therapy with an innovative exercise therapy will be documented for patients with chronic liver disease. An effective stopping of the progress of muscle wasting or even increase of muscle mass, strength and function in the patients of the trial would benefit each patient and his family individually, since it could mean a considerable improvement in his QLQ and tolerability of therapeutical treatment.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
50
Inclusion Criteria

• Patients with chronic liver disease in curative or palliative treatment

Exclusion Criteria
  • Healthy persons or patients under age
  • Pregnancy, Lactation,
  • Psychological disorders, epilepsy, sever neurological disorders
  • Participation in other exercise- or nutrition studies within the last 6 months
  • acute cardiovascular disease
  • Rheuma
  • Intake of anabolic drugs,
  • Skin injuries in the area of electrode placements
  • Electronic implants (defibrillator, pacemaker)
  • Persons in mental hospitals by order of authorities or jurisdiction

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Interventionnutritional therapyIntervention of protein-rich nutritional therapy and counseling combined with whole body electromyostimulation exercise training
Controlnutritional therapyIntervention of protein-rich nutritional therapy and counseling
InterventionWB-EMS combined with nutritional therapyIntervention of protein-rich nutritional therapy and counseling combined with whole body electromyostimulation exercise training
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Muscle mass of chronic liver patients3 months

Increase or stabilization of muscle mass of chronic liver patients due to combinatorial therapy of protein-rich nutrition and WB-EMS. Muscle mass will be measured by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis.

Muscle strength of chronic liver patients.3 months

Increase or stabilization of muscle strength of chronic liver patients due to combinatorial therapy of protein-rich nutrition and WB-EMS. Muscle strength will be measured by hand grip strength measurements.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Pain score as assessed by visual analogue score3 months

Increase or stabilization of pain score of chronic liver patients due to combinatorial therapy of protein-rich nutrition and WB-EMS.

Fatigue score as assessed by FACIT-Fatigue-Score analysis3 months

Increase or stabilization of fatigue score of chronic liver patients due to combinatorial therapy of protein-rich nutrition and WB-EMS.

Quality of life score as assessed by EORTC-QLQ-C303 months

Increase or stabilization of quality of life score of chronic liver patients due to combinatorial therapy of protein-rich nutrition and WB-EMS.

Degree of toxicity of chemotherapy regarding gastrointestinal complaints as assessed by Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC)3 months

Decrease of common toxicity criteria regarding gastrointestinal complaints of chronic liver patients due to combinatorial therapy of protein-rich nutrition and WB-EMS.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Department of Medicine 1, Hector Center for Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg

🇩🇪

Erlangen, Germany

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