Table 3. Changes in HRV, endocrine function and laboratory data throughout the clinical trial.
| Allocated groups | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Placebo drink | Nutritional drink | P-value (time and treatment) | |||||
| Week 0 | Week 4 | Week 12 | Week 0 | Week 4 | Week 12 | ||
| Endocrine factors | |||||||
| ACTH (pg/mL) | 51.4±27.5 | - | 49.8±25.0 | 50.4±23.9 | - | 51.3±22.2 | 0.21 |
| Cortisol (μg/mL) | 7.81±2.46 | - | 8.63±2.76 | 8.53±2.78 | - | 9.17±2.74 | 0.65 |
| α-MSH (pg/mL) | 11.9±4.45 | - | 11.9±5.55 | 12.7±5.51 | - | 12.5±6.60 | 0.76 |
| Laboratory data | |||||||
| White blood cells (×103/μL) | 5.98±1.89 | 5.95±1.82 | 5.96±2.17 | 5.96±1.88 | 5.90±1.85 | 6.08±1.75 | 0.73 |
| Hemoglobin (g/dL) | 10.3±1.00 | 10.4±0.93 | 10.6±1.06 | 10.3±0.90 | 10.3±0.95 | 10.5±0.99 | 0.61 |
| Platelets (×103/μL) | 172.2±55.6 | 180.5±57.4 | 173.3±53.8 | 167.9±51.0 | 174.7±51.3 | 176.7±51.1 | 0.25 |
| Albumin (g/dL) | 3.92±0.27 | 3.91±0.26 | 3.91±0.31 | 3.90±0.31 | 3.89±0.30 | 3.88±0.32 | 0.91 |
| AST (IU/L) | 12.9±7.52 | 12.0±5.75 | 12.1±6.54 | 14.1±8.68 | 14.0±6.88 | 14.0±6.48 | 0.48 |
| ALT (IU/L) | 12.7±11.4 | 11.8±6.70 | 11.8±7.20 | 12.7±79.0 | 13.8±.06 | 13.5±6.81 | 0.12 |
| LDH (IU/L) | 171.3±39.4 | 171.3±37.8 | 175.6±40.2 | 177.8±34.7 | 178.9±35.9 | 180.5±32.0 | 0.68 |
| Creatinine (mg/dL) | 12.9±2.33 | 13.0±2.33 | 13.2±2.44 | 12.7±2.20 | 12.8±2.24 | 13.0±2.33 | 0.48 |
| Na (mg/dL) | 139.6±3.17 | 138.8±3.25 | 138.8±.85 | 140.0±2.89 | 139.2±2.93 | 139.1±2.71 | 0.92 |
| K (mg/dL) | 5.09±0.74 | 5.01±0.69 | 4.97±0.74 | 5.15±0.72 | 5.13±0.78 | 4.96±0.69 | 0.19 |
| Ca (mg/dL) | 9.00±0.78 | 9.02±0.83 | 9.10±0.84 | 8.94±0.81 | 9.00±0.82 | 9.08±0.80 | 0.79 |
| P (mg/dL) | 5.78±1.31 | 5.87±1.70 | 5.48±1.42 | 5.89±1.46 | 5.83±1.63 | 5.78±.27 | 0.23 |
| Fe (mg/dL) | 62.9±24.7 | 64.5±29.2 | 63.0±27.3 | 57.7±25.2 | 57.3±22.9 | 63.0±31.0 | 0.38 |
| Glucose (mg/dL) | 102.6±34.2 | 102.6±37.8 | 110.1±47.0 | 117.5±64.7 | 110.4±50.1 | 105.9±41.0 | 0.003 |
| Cholesterol (mg/dL) | 151.5±33.2 | 149.7±34.1 | 150.1±31.1 | 154.0±33.1 | 150.7±31.4 | 151.2±29.8 | 0.83 |
| HDL cholesterol (mg/dL) | 48.3±14.3 | 47.2±14.8 | 45.2±14.7 | 47.1±15.4 | 46.6±14.6 | 45.5±14.6 | 0.26 |
| Triglyceride (mg/dL) | 114.2±75.5 | 120.7±84.5 | 135.2±85.4 | 127.4±83.2 | 126.8±78.6 | 129.6±71.7 | 0.16 |
| CRP (mg/dL) | 0.19±0.35 | 0.33±1.11 | 0.42±0.48 | 0.25±0.48 | 0.33±0.76 | 0.32±0.66 | 0.77 |
All variables were tested via a 2-way mixed model repeated measure analysis.
Conversion factors for units: ACTH pg/mL to pmol/L ×0.22, cortisol μg/mL to nmol/L ×27.59, αMSH pg/mL to pmol/L ×0.60, white blood cell count ×103/μL to 109/L, hemoglobin in g/dl to g/L ×10, platelets, albumin in g/dl to g/L ×10, creatinine in mg/dL to μmol/L ×76.26, Na in mg/dL to mmol/L ×88.4, K in mg/dL to mmol/L ×0.4349, Ca in mg/dL to mmol/L ×0.2495, P in mg/dL to mmol/L ×0.3228, Fe in mg/dL to mmol/L ×0.1791, glucose in mg/dL to mmol/L ×0.0551, cholesterol and HDL cholesterol in ng/dl to mmol/L ×0.02586, triglyceride in mg/dL to mmol/L ×0.01129, CRP in mg/dl to ng/L ×100. No conversion necessary for AST, ALT and LDH in IU/L.
ACTH, adrenocorticotropic hormone; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; CRP, C-reactive protein; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; MSH, melanocyte-stimulating hormone.