Table 2.
Characteristics of included studies (values reported as mean ± standard deviation unless otherwise specified)
| Study | Year | Country of publication | Journal | Design | Criteria for CHF | Sample size (n =) | Mean age (years) | SD of age (years) | Number of males (%) | Intervention (I) and control (C) | Supplement duration | Primary outcome(s) | Adverse events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquilani et al. [27] | 2008 | Italy | European Journal of Heart Failure | RCT | ‘Muscle depleted’ patients with clinically stable CHF |
I: 21 C: 17 |
I: 73 C: 75 |
I: 5 C: 3 |
I: 13 (62) C: 14 (82) |
I: 2 × 4 g essential amino acid drink. C: Standard medical care. |
2 Months | Increase in body mass > 1 kg over 2 months |
I: 0 SAE; 1 AE C: 3 SAE; 0 AE |
| Rozentryt et al. [28] | 2010 | Poland | Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle | RCT | Cachectic, NYHA II–IV, LVEF ≤ 30%, oedema free weight loss > 7.5% over > 6 months |
I: 23 C: 6 |
I: 52 C: 49 |
I: 10 C: 12 |
I: 17 (74) C: 5 (83) |
I: 600 kcal (20 g protein, 72 g cho, 26 g fat) divided into two equal doses. C: 12 kcal placebo control meal of similar taste consistency |
3 months | Oedema-free body mass and HRQoL |
I: 11 SAE; 16 AE C: 3 SAE; 7 AE |
| Pineda-Juarez et al. [29] | 2015 | Mexico | Clinical nutrition | RCT | Stable CHF according to ESC guidelines [34] |
I: 29 C: 26 |
I: 75 (median) C: 71 (median) |
I: 64–84 (range) C: 58–79 (range) |
I: 19 (56) C: 14 (44) |
I: 2 × 5 g BCAA servings per day. Dietary protein consumption standardised to 20% of total estimated daily energy intake. Resistance exercise training 2 × 1/h per week. C: Dietary protein consumption standardised to 20% of total estimated daily energy intake. Resistance exercise training 2 × 1/h per week |
12 weeks | Not specified |
I: 2 SAE; No reported AEs C: 2 SAE; No reported AEs |
| Wu et al. [30] | 2015 | USA | Circulation: heart failure | RCT | LVEF ≤ 35% |
I: 14 C: 12 |
I: 59 C: 56 |
I: 3 C: 2 |
I: 12 (86) C: 9 (82) |
I: 8 g/day L-alanyle-l-glutamine and 6.5 g/day fish oil C: Safflower oil and milk powder of equivalent caloric intake |
6 weeks | Change in CPET, 6MWT and isokinetic and isometric muscle function |
I: SAEs; 2 AEs C: SAE; 2 AEs |
| George et al. [31] | 2017 | USA | Journal of physiotherapy and physical rehabilitation | RCT | NYHA II–III, HFpEF and/or HFrEF |
I: 3 C: 3 |
I: 84 C: 75 |
I: 1 C: 7 |
Not reported |
I: Whey isolate powder supplement to increase protein intake to 1.5 g/kg body mass per day and exercise DVD including aerobic and resistance exercise 6 days per week. C: Standard medical care |
6 months | Not specified | Not reported |
| Lombardi et al. [32] | 2014 | Italy | Clinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology | Cohort | NYHA II–III, LVEF < 45% | I: 13 | I: 59 | I: 14 | I: 11 (85) | I: 2 × 4 g sachets contain 11 essential and semi-essential amino acid per day | 3 months | CPET and 6MWT distance | Not reported |
I intervention group, C control group, CHF chronic heart failure, SD standard deviation, RCT randomised controlled trial, NYHA New York heart failure classification, HFpEF heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, HFrEF heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, LVEF left ventricular ejection fraction, CPET cardiopulmonary exercise test, 6MWT six-minute walk test, CHO carbohydrate, HRQoL health-related quality of life, SAE serious adverse event, AE adverse event