Body composition in nonalcoholic cirrhosis: the effect of disease etiology and severity on nutritional compartments.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies of body composition in cirrhosis have either measured only one body compartment, used alcoholic subjects, or not corrected body composition for physical characteristics. The aim of this study was to perform a detailed analysis of body composition in subjects with nonalcoholic cirrhosis.


METHODS
Simultaneous measurements of total body potassium and total body water were performed and values of body cell mass and body fat were corrected for physical characteristics.


RESULTS
Child's class C patients had a significantly lower mean total body potassium index (i.e., percent observed value/expected value) and body fat index than class A or B patients. Eighty-one percent of class C patients had simultaneous reductions in body fat and body cell mass, and 71% of patients with class A disease had a significant reduction in either or both compartments. Nine patients showed the pattern of tissue loss seen with short-term starvation. Fourteen patients showed the pattern of tissue loss seen in physiological stress.


CONCLUSIONS
Severe liver disease is characterized by significant reductions in body fat and body cell mass, most class A patients have a significant reduction in some nutritional compartments, and the pattern of tissue loss may reflect mechanisms of tissue wasting.
Crawford
D H
DH
Joint Liver Program, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Shepherd
R W
RW
Halliday
J W
JW
Cooksley
G W
GW
Golding
S D
SD
Cheng
W S
WS
Powell
L W
LW
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism
D011188:Potassium