Efficacy of Physiologically Active nutrients in the Treatment of Asthenic Disorders in Patients with Chronic Diffuse Liver Diseases

Abstract

Over the period after an exacerbation of chronic liver diseases, patients often retain common symptoms (weakness or fatigue, bad mood, sleep disorder, vegetative disorders — asthenic syndrome). In the context of prevention and treatment of these symptoms, such nutraceutical products as enriched foods in the form of tablets, sachets, etc, have been increasingly attracting research attention.Aim. To study the efficacy of the “Hepato Smart” nutraceutical product for the treatment of asthenic syndrome in outpatients suffering from chronic diffuse liver diseases with compensated function and functional disorders of the gallbladder over the period after exacerbation.Materials and methods. The study included 50 patients, with 41 of them having completed the program. The nutraceutical product (curcumin, piperine, tanshinone IIA, choline; standardized for curcumin and choline) was assigned 1 pill 3 times a day with meals for 4 weeks. To objectify common symptoms, we used a D-FIS questionnaire (Daily Fatigue Impact Scale), a 4DSQ Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire for assessing distress, depression, anxiety and somatization, and a SF-36 questionnaire for assessing the quality of life.Results. Following 4 weeks of the “Hepato Smart” course, a statistically significant decrease in fatigue was noted by D-FIS scores (p = 0.003), as well as a decrease in the level of distress, depression, anxiety and somatization by 4DSQ scores (p = 0.005; p = 0.006; p = 0.003; p = 0.003, respectively). The quality of patients’ life according to the SF36 questionnaire also improved due to both physical and psychological components (p = 0.003). 16 patients continued taking the preparation for another 8 weeks to maintain the achieved result. As an additional effect, the disappearance of pain in the right hypochondrium was noted in those cases when patients presented this complaint at the time of inclusion in the observation program. The safety profile was good, 1/3 of the patients noted the appearance of heartburn, which was eliminated when taking the product with food.Conclusion. The “Hepato Smart” nutraceutical product improves the general condition of patients with chronic diffuse liver diseases and functional disorders of the gallbladder due to a significant reduction in fatigue and anxiety. It also improves the quality of patients’ life due to the physical and mental components of health.

Keywords

• chronic diffuse liver diseases
• asthenic syndrome
• quality of life
• nutraceutical product