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EAA Intake to Optimize Protein Anabolism in COPD

NCT01173354 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 34

Last updated 2025-09-30

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Weight loss commonly occurs in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), negatively influencing their quality of life, treatment response and survival. Loss of muscle protein is generally a central component of weight loss in COPD patients. Attempts to reverse muscle loss in COPD by supplying large amounts of protein or calories to these patients have been unsuccessful. Gains in muscle mass are difficult to achieve in COPD unless specific metabolic abnormalities are targeted. The investigators recently observed that alterations in protein metabolism are present in normal weight COPD patients. Elevated levels of protein synthesis and breakdown rates were found in this COPD group indicating that alterations are already present before muscle wasting occurs. Furthermore, reduced plasma essential amino acid (EAA) levels were observed in COPD patients. These reduced EAA plasma levels were significantly related with the presence of muscle wasting in COPD. Until now, limited research has been done examining protein metabolism and the response to feeding in patients with COPD. Previous studies support the concept of essential amino acids (EAA) as an anabolic stimulus in the young and elderly and in insulin resistant states. Until yet no information is present on the anabolic effects of EAA in elderly COPD patients.

It is therefore our hypothesis that a high-leucine essential amino acids mixture specifically designed to stimulate protein anabolism will target the metabolic alterations of COPD patients. In the present study, the acute effects of an EAA nutritional supplement on whole body, muscle and liver protein metabolism will be examined in COPD patients and compared to a supplement consisting of a balanced mixture of total amino acids. The principal endpoints will be the extent of stimulation of whole body protein synthesis as this is the principal mechanism by which either amino acid or protein intake causes muscle anabolism, and the reduction in endogenous protein breakdown. Both endpoints will be assessed by isotope methodology which is thought to be the reference method.

Conditions

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Free balanced amino acid mixture

7 g free amino acids provided as a one time bolus, including 15 g carbohydrates. As part of the total amount of essential amino acids 24% is leucine.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Free essential amino acid mixture

7 g free essential amino acids provided as a one time bolus, including 15 g carbohydrates. As part of the total amount of essential amino acids 40% is leucine.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • Marielle PK Engelen, PhD · University of Arkansas

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
45 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2009-09-08
Primary Completion
2012-02-17
Completion
2012-02-17

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Diseases
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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT01173354 on ClinicalTrials.gov