Nutritional markers in liver allograft recipients.
BACKGROUND
Malnutrition is common in patients with end-stage liver disease considered for transplantation, but it is unclear whether this affects the outcome after transplantation. AIM.: To determine whether the severity of malnutrition in liver transplant candidates affects outcome after transplantation.


METHODS
We did a prospective study of 61 patients with chronic liver disease accepted for transplantation.


RESULTS
The Child-Pugh and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score correlated significantly but weakly with the mid-arm circumference (MAC) (rho=-0.34 and -0.31, P=0.015 and 0.025, respectively) but not with hand-grip strength, triceps skin-fold thickness (TSFT), or mid-arm muscle circumference. The Child-Pugh score but not the MELD was significantly associated with intensive therapy unit stay but not eventual outcome; there was a weak but statistically significant correlation between death and MAC (rho=+0.29, P=0.04) and TSFT (rho=+0.25, P=0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that nutritional parameters and markers of disease severity do not correlate well with outcomes after transplantation.
Shahid
Mohammad
M
St. Bartholomew's and The Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary College, University of London, London, UK.
Johnson
Jill
J
Nightingale
Peter
P
Neuberger
James
J
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015415:Biomarkers