Effects of Eight-Week Whey Protein Supplementation in Palliative Care Patients with Advanced Cancer: A DoubleBlind Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial - Abstract
Background: Evidence of the effect of whey protein (WP) supplementation in palliative cancer patients is limited. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an 8-week WP supplementation on quality of life (QOL) and predefined outcomes in Hong Kong Chinese palliative care patients with advanced cancer.
Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Palliative care patients with advanced cancer were randomized to receive one sachet of WP supplement at 36 g daily (intervention), or casein at 36 g daily (placebo) for 8 weeks. Outcome measures, including QOL, weight, body fat %, lean body mass, biceps and triceps circumferences, waist circumference, handgrip strength, 6-minute walking test, up & go test, Barthel Index, Karnofsky Performance Scale Index, London Handicap Scale, Elderly Mobility Scale and glutathione (GSH) level, were assessed at week 0, 4 and 8. The intention-to-treat or per-protocol principle was applied to examine the effects of the intervention on each outcome, with the use of linear mixed-effects model analysis.
Results: A total of 92 patients (mean age 60.9±13.7, male 54.3%) were randomized and completed the baseline assessment. There was no significant group difference in the changes of QOL, anthropometry, physical function or intracellular GSH level over time (all p for interaction >0.05), either by intention-to-treat or per-protocol analysis.
Conclusion: In Chinese palliative care patients with advanced cancer, there were no significant differences in the changes of QOL, anthropometry, physical function and intracellular GSH level over time between the group receiving an 8-week WP supplementation daily and casein supplementation daily.