Factors predisposing to peptic ulcer disease in asymptomatic cirrhotic patients.

BACKGROUND: There is a high prevalence of peptic ulcer in cirrhotic patients, but the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer in cirrhosis remains inconclusive. AIM: To investigate factors associated with peptic ulcer and to evaluate peptic ulcer prevalence in asymptomatic cirrhotic patients. METHODS: A total of 130 cirrhotics were recruited into the study for endoscopic screening. Data were collected and biochemical tests were done. Doppler ultrasound was used to assess the portal vein velocity and size. Patients underwent endoscopy for the presence of varices and peptic ulcer. Helicobacter pylori infection was confirmed by urease test, histology and 14C-urea breath test. Statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: Peptic ulcer was detected in 50 (39%) cases. Between peptic ulcer and non-peptic ulcer groups, there were no significant differences in age, sex, alcoholic drinking, smoking, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, portal vein velocity and size, except for H. pylori infection (P = 0.006), serum albumin (P = 0.02) and Child-Pugh score (P = 0.03). By multivariate analysis, H. pylori infection (OR: 3.26; 95% CI: 1.49-7.13; P = 0.003), Child-Pugh classes B (OR: 2.48; 95% CI: 1.04-5.91; P = 0.04) and C (OR: 3.26; 95% CI: 1.2-8.81; P = 0.02) were independently associated with peptic ulcer. CONCLUSION: H. pylori infection and advanced cirrhosis are important factors associated with active peptic ulcer.

Nutritional assessment in various stages of liver cirrhosis.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of protein-calorie malnutrition, characteristics, and clinical importance of nutrition disorders in patients with liver cirrhosis according to severity of disease. METHODS: Nutrition assessments such as subjective global assessment, anthropometric and biochemical measurements, immunocompentency, thiamin and riboflavin status in 60 patients with cirrhosis (33 male and 27 female) were recorded between June 1999 and December 1999 at an outpatient clinic at Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. The origin of liver disease was alcohol related in 50% of patients. Child-Pugh criteria were used to establish the severity of liver disease. RESULTS: In terms of energy malnutrition, 13.3% of patients had ideal body weights below 90% and 11.7% had body mass indexes below 18.5 kg/m(2). Protein malnutrition (low albumin) and immunoincompetence (abnormal response to skin tests) were found much more frequently (45% and 22%) than energy malnutrition. Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis had ascites (P < 0.05) and hepatic encephalopathy (P < 0.001) more frequently and less triceps skinfold thickness than those with non-alcoholic cirrhosis. Subjective global assessment and serum proteins correlated with the degree of liver-function impairment, but immunologic tests correlated inversely in cirrhosis patients. Mean values for creatinine-height index, hemoglobin, cholesterol, and complement C4 showed significant decreases in severe liver failure (Child-Pugh class C) only in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (P < 0.05). Malnutrition was correlated with the clinical severity of liver disease. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that protein-energy malnutrition is a common complication of liver cirrhosis. Nutritional disorders appeared to be related to the degree of liver injury and the etiology of nutritional disorders. Nutritional disorders were more severe with alcoholic cirrhosis than with non-alcoholic cirrhosis.

Impact of liver cirrhosis on nutritional and immunological status.

The aims of the study were to determine the prevalence of protein calorie malnutrition (PCM) in Thai cirrhotic patients and to evaluate nutritional and immunological status in various stages of cirrhosis. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and anthropometric measurement were used as nutritional assessment in sixty cirrhotic patients. Delayed-type hypersensitivity skin test, lymphocyte count, immunoglobulin and complement were assessed for immune status. Blood samples were sent for routine tests, prealbumin, thiamine and riboflavin level. There were 7/60 (11.7%) patients with percentage of ideal body weight (%IBW) less than 90 per cent. SGA, hemoglobin, protein indices and cholesterol level showed the deterioration of nutritional status in the late stage of the disease. Five (8.3%) patients with thiamine deficiency, and thirteen (21.7%) patients with riboflavine deficiency were detected. Lowest levels of complement and highest levels of immunoglobulin also occurred in the late stage of the disease. In conclusion, defining %IBW <90 per cent as malnutrition, the prevalence of malnutrition in Thai cirrhotic patients was 11.7 per cent. Nutritional and immunological status deteriorated according to the advanced stage of disease. If nutritional support is given in the early stage, it may improve nutritional status and reduce morbidity and mortality in cirrhotic patients.