Utility of standard nutritional parameters in detecting body cell mass depletion in patients with end-stage liver disease.

Protein-calorie malnutrition, best measured by body cell mass (BCM) depletion, has been associated with adverse outcomes in patients with end-stage liver disease. We prospectively measured BCM and multiple standard nutritional parameters in patients with end-stage liver disease to determine which, if any, of the traditionally measured nutritional parameters correlate with BCM. A detailed nutritional assessment, including BCM analysis, subjective global assessment, anthropometry, handgrip dynamometry, laboratory tests, and body composition measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was performed in 69 sequential patients awaiting liver transplantation. The frequency of abnormalities of specific parameters of nutritional status varied between 19% and 99%. Most of the commonly measured parameters of nutritional status correlated poorly with BCM. Patients with depleted BCM (lowest quartile for sex) had midarm circumference (P <.01), arm-muscle circumference (P <.001), handgrip strength (P <.001), blood urea nitrogen (P <.01), and creatinine (P <.01) values less than those for patients with greater BCM (highest 3 quartiles for sex). In multivariate analysis, arm-muscle circumference and handgrip strength were the best predictors of BCM. The combined criteria of handgrip strength less than 30 kg and arm-muscle circumference less than 23 cm have a sensitivity of 94% and a negative predictive value of 97% in identifying patients with depleted BCM. Although abnormalities of nutritional parameters are highly prevalent among patients with end-stage liver disease, most parameters of nutritional status do not correlate with BCM. In patients with end-stage liver disease, arm-muscle circumference and handgrip strength are the most sensitive markers of BCM depletion.

Nutritional support for liver transplantation: identifying caloric and protein requirements.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the caloric and protein requirements of patients with end-stage liver disease before and for 28 days after liver transplantation. DESIGN: We prospectively assessed 16 adult patients who were scheduled to undergo liver transplantation between December 1989 and September 1990. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nitrogen balance, 24-hour urinary creatinine, 3-methylhistidine, and resting energy expenditure were determined before transplantation and on days 1, 3, 5, 14, and 28 after transplantation. The investigators were unaware of the results of these measurements, and patients were fed in accordance with a previously established clinical protocol. RESULTS: Resting energy expenditure did not increase from preoperative values; however, urinary nitrogen and 3-methylhistidine increased significantly after liver transplantation, an indication of protein catabolism from a myofibrillar source. A negative nitrogen balance persisted for 28 days post-operatively. CONCLUSION: We recommend that caloric intake be determined by using the formulation provided by the Harris-Benedict equation at ideal body weight plus 20%. We also recommend that intake of protein be adjusted on the basis of preoperative nutritional assessment, perioperative hepatic and renal function, and results of tests used to measure the adequacy of administered protein. Parenterally or enterally administered protein of more than 1.2 g/kg daily should be well tolerated in most patients who have undergone liver transplantation.

Pancreas transplantation at Mayo: III. Multidisciplinary management.

Although pancreas transplantation is a complicated procedure, a good level of success has been achieved because of the introduction of cyclosporine for immunosuppression, improved methods for diagnosing rejection, and a multidisciplinary approach to management. Our immunosuppressive regimen was quadruple therapy with induction by using Minnesota antilymphoblastic globulin. A biopsy technique was instituted in which the pancreas specimens were obtained under cystoscopic direction during episodes of hypoamylasuria. The criteria for rejection episodes were not only biochemical abnormalities but also histologic confirmation and a follow-up to exclude other causes of graft dysfunction. Infectious disease management included use of oral selective bowel decontamination for 3 weeks after transplantation. At the Mayo Clinic between October 1987 and December 1988, 16 patients received pancreaticoduodenal allografts (both kidney and pancreas in 13 and pancreas only in 3 after a prior successful kidney transplantation). In two pancreas and one kidney allograft, function was lost. One patient died of multiorgan failure. The cystoscopically directed biopsy technique was performed 23 times with minimal complications and a 93% success rate. The metabolic results have been excellent; the glycosylated hemoglobulin level was normal 3 to 6 months after transplantation. The quality of life was significantly improved in almost all patients. Nutritional assessment revealed little deterioration after transplantation. With a multidisciplinary approach, the needed answers about the effect of pancreas transplantation on the degenerative complications of diabetes should be forthcoming.

Assessment of nutritional status of patients with end-stage liver disease undergoing liver transplantation.

Nutritional assessment factors (including dietary history, anthropometric and biochemical measurements, and evaluation of immunocompetence) were retrospectively reviewed in 74 patients undergoing an initial liver transplantation procedure. The patients were subdivided into four categories on the basis of type of liver disease: chronic active hepatitis (N = 24), primary sclerosing cholangitis (N = 22), primary biliary cirrhosis (N = 20), and acute or subacute hepatitis (N = 8). Our nutritional assessment data indicated that malnutrition was present preoperatively in all liver transplantation groups but that each group had distinct characteristics. The group with primary biliary cirrhosis seemed to have the best hepatic synthetic function despite extreme wasting of muscle and fat. On the basis of all criteria, the group with acute hepatitis was the most malnourished of the various disease groups. Aggressive nutritional support, which includes adequate intake of nutrients and supplementation of vitamins and trace minerals, should be encouraged for all potential liver transplant patients.