Mechanisms and Treatment for Muscle Cramps in Liver Cirrhosis

Abstract

Muscle cramps are an important complication of liver cirrhosis and impair quality of life. The prevalence of muscle cramps with liver cirrhosis ranges from 29% to 88%. The exact pathophysiology of muscle cramps continues to be poorly understood. And effective treatments have not been established. But several mechanisms and treatment option have been proposed. There are several reports pertaining to the treatment of muscle cramps including magnesium, zinc, 1-a-hydroxy vitamin D, vitamin E, eperisone hydrochloride, intravenous albumin, branched chain amino acids, taurine, quinidine, l-carnitine, and baclofen. l-carnitine improves the deterioration of energy metabolism. On the other hand, baclofen is effective for nerve dysfunction. There are needs for further study to determine which mechanistic targets have the highest value in developing effective therapies.