Optimizing nutrition in hepatic cirrhosis: A comprehensive assessment and care approach.

Cirrhosis is considered a growing cause of morbidity and mortality, which represents a significant public health problem. Currently, there is no effective treatment to reverse cirrhosis. Treatment primarily centers on addressing the underlying liver condition, monitoring, and managing portal hypertension-related complications, and evaluating the potential for liver transplantation in cases of decompensated cirrhosis, marked by rapid progression and the emergence of complications like variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, ascites, malnutrition, and more. Malnutrition, a prevalent complication across all disease stages, is often underdiagnosed in cirrhosis due to the complexities of nutritional assessment in patients with fluid retention and/or obesity, despite its crucial impact on prognosis. Increasing emphasis has been placed on the collaboration of nutritionists within hepatology and Liver transplant teams to deliver comprehensive care, a practice that has shown to improve outcomes. This review covers appropriate screening and assessment methods for evaluating the nutritional status of this population, diagnostic approaches for malnutrition, and context-specific nutrition treatments. It also discusses evidence-based recommendations for supplementation and physical exercise, both essential elements of the standard care provided to cirrhotic patients.

Geographic disparities in access to liver transplant for advanced cirrhosis: Time to ring the alarm!

Decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer are major risk factors for mortality worldwide. Liver transplantation (LT), both live-donor LT or deceased-donor LT, are lifesaving, but there are several barriers toward equitable access. These barriers are exacerbated in the setting of critical illness or acute-on-chronic liver failure. Rates of LT vary widely worldwide but are lowest in lower-income countries owing to lack of resources, infrastructure, late disease presentation, and limited donor awareness. A recent experience by the Chronic Liver Disease Evolution and Registry for Events and Decompensation consortium defined these barriers toward LT as critical in determining overall survival in hospitalized cirrhosis patients. A major focus should be on appropriate, affordable, and early cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer care to prevent the need for LT. Live-donor LT is predominant across Asian countries, whereas deceased-donor LT is more common in Western countries; both approaches have unique challenges that add to the access disparities. There are many challenges toward equitable access but uniform definitions of acute-on-chronic liver failure, improving transplant expertise, enhancing availability of resources and encouraging knowledge between centers, and preventing disease progression are critical to reduce LT disparities.

Economic evaluation of long-term albumin use in cirrhosis patients from the Mexican healthcare system perspective.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Liver cirrhosis is a major public health issue associated with high morbidity and mortality. The ANSWER trial showed that long-term human albumin (LTA) infusions led to significant reduction of complications and mortality in patients with uncomplicated ascites. The present study aimed to assess the incremental cost of cirrhosis patients treated with LTA plus standard medical treatment (SMT) versus those treated with SMT from the perspective of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cost of illness for patients with cirrhosis and grade 2-3 ascites treated with SMT or with SMT and LTA (following the treatment regimen from ANSWER) over a one-year period was estimated according to the IMSS perspective. Rates of treatments, complications and hospitalizations were based on results from the ANSWER trial. Unit costs from IMSS were gathered from public sources and transformed to 2020 Mexican $ (Mex$). RESULTS: The use of LTA is estimated to require additional annual expenditure derived from the pharmacological cost of human albumin and by the follow up visits required for LTA administration (Mex$28,128). However, this cost may potentially be counterbalanced by the reduction in paracentesis, cirrhosis-related complications and hospitalizations which would lead to cost savings of Mex$33,417 per patient/year. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the ANSWER trial results, our study suggests that LTA may result in improved clinical outcomes and reduced costs for the IMSS when administered to cirrhosis patients with uncomplicated ascites.

Embarazo en adolescentes de Jalisco, México: una mirada desde la marginación social / Adolescent pregnancy in Jalisco Mexico: a view from social marginalization

Objetivo: Analizar las condiciones socioculturales, atención prenatal y obstétrica, y del recién nacido, en mujeres adolescentes embarazadas residentes de municipios con muy alta y muy baja marginación, en Jalisco, México durante 2014. Diseño: Estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo transversal. Institución. Secretaría de Salud Jalisco. Participantes: Adolescentes residentes de municipios de muy alta y de muy baja marginación. Metodología: Se revisaron certificados de nacimientos de adolescentes residentes de Jalisco atendidas de parto durante 2014, 140 fueron adolescentes residentes de municipios de muy alta marginación y 21 004 de municipios de muy baja marginación. Principales medidas de resultados: Análisis univariado de condiciones socioculturales, atención prenatal y obstétrica, además de datos del recién nacido. Resultados: Se registraron 28 178 nacimientos; de muy alta marginación (Grupo 1) fueron n=140 (0,5%) y de muy baja marginación (Grupo 2) fueron n=21 004 (74,5%). Del Grupo 1, la media de edad fue 17,1 años, 18,5% tenía 15 años o menos, 41,4% primaria o menos, media del número de embarazos fue 1,35; 20% no recibió atención prenatal, la media del número de consultas era 3,1, el 91% tuvo resolución obstétrica por parto normal, la media del peso de recién nacido fue 3 032,10 gramos. Del Grupo 2 la media de la edad fue 17,5 años, 22,7% era soltera, media del número de embarazos 1,34, media del número de consultas 6,7; el 45,2% tuvo resolución obstétrica por cesárea y la media del peso de recién nacidos fue 3 101,67 gramos. Conclusiones: Existieron diferencias porcentuales y de medias entre los grupos, en características socioculturales (escolaridad, estado civil y seguridad social) y las relacionadas con atención prenatal y obstétrica (control prenatal y resolución del embarazo).

Objective: To analyze the sociocultural conditions, prenatal and obstetrical care, and data of the newborn, in pregnant young women residing in municipalities with very high and very low marginalization in Jalisco, Mexico, in 2014. Design: Quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional study. Institution: Jalisco Health Secretariat. Participants: Adolescents residents of both highly and very low marginalization municipalities. Methodology: Birth certificates of 140 adolescents residing in highly marginalized municipalities (Group 1) and 21 004 residing in municipalities with very low marginalization (Group 2) in Jalisco, Mexico, and who delivered a child during 2014, were reviewed. Main outcome measures: Univariate analysis of social and cultural conditions, prenatal and obstetrical care, data of the newborn. Results: From 28 178 births, 140 (0.5%) adolescents belonged to highly marginalized births (Group 1) and 21 004 (74.5%) occurred in adolescentes of very low marginalization adolescents (Group 2). The average age in Group 1 was 17.1 years, 18.5% were 15 years or less; 41.4% had elementary school or care, the mean number of pregnancies was 1.35; 20% did not receive prenatal care, the mean number of consultations was 3.1, 91% had normal delivery, the average newborn birth weight was 3 032.10 grams. The second group's mean age was 17,5 years , 22.7 % were single, the average number of pregnancies 1.34, the mean number of consultations 6.6 , 45.2% had caesarean section, and the average weight of newborns was 3 101.67 grams. Conclusions: There were differences between groups in sociocultural characteristics (education, marital status and social security) and those related to prenatal and obstetrical care (prenatal and pregnancy resolution).

Nutritional assessment and treatment of patients with liver cirrhosis.

Prevalence of chronic liver diseases, including liver cirrhosis, is increasing worldwide. The nutritional state assessment in these patients is complicated, and besides anthropometry is based on several other tools in order to be more accurate. Specific dietary recommendations are needed in patients with chronic liver diseases in order to help prevent and treat liver decompensation because malnutrition is an independent predictor of mortality. This review focuses on essential aspects in the nutritional assessment of cirrhotic patients and some general recommendations for their treatment.