Phase angle obtained by bioelectrical impedance analysis independently predicts mortality in patients with cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prognostic value of the phase angle (PA) obtained from bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) for mortality prediction in patients with cirrhosis.


METHODS
In total, 134 male cirrhotic patients prospectively completed clinical evaluations and nutritional assessment by BIA to obtain PAs during a 36-mo follow-up period. Mortality risk was analyzed by applying the PA cutoff point recently proposed as a malnutrition marker (PA ≤ 4.9°) in Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox regression models.


RESULTS
The patients were divided into two groups according to the PA cutoff value (PA > 4.9°,n= 73; PA ≤ 4.9°,n= 61). Weight, height, and body mass index were similar in both groups, but patients with PAs > 4.9° were younger and had higher mid-arm muscle circumference, albumin, and handgrip-strength values and lower severe ascites and encephalopathy incidences, interleukin (IL)-6/IL-10 ratios and C-reactive protein levels than did patients with PAs ≤ 4.9° (P≤ 0.05). Forty-eight (35.80%) patients died due to cirrhosis, with a median of 18 mo (interquartile range, 3.3-25.6 mo) follow-up until death. Thirty-one (64.60%) of these patients were from the PA ≤ 4.9° group. PA ≤ 4.9° significantly and independently affected the mortality model adjusted for Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score and age (hazard ratio = 2.05, 95%CI: 1.11-3.77,P= 0.021). In addition, Kaplan-Meier curves showed that patients with PAs ≤ 4.9° were significantly more likely to die.


CONCLUSIONS
In male patients with cirrhosis, the PA ≤ 4.9° cutoff was associated independently with mortality and identified patients with worse metabolic, nutritional, and disease progression profiles. The PA may be a useful and reliable bedside tool to evaluate prognosis in cirrhosis.
Giliane Belarmino, Raquel S Torrinhas, Priscila Sala, Wellington Andraus, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Graziela R Ravacci, Dan L Waitzberg, Department of Gastroenterology, Surgical Division, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil.
Giliane
G
Belarmino
Giliane Belarmino, Raquel S Torrinhas, Priscila Sala, Wellington Andraus, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Graziela R Ravacci, Dan L Waitzberg, Department of Gastroenterology, Surgical Division, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil.
Maria Cristina
MC
Gonzalez
Giliane Belarmino, Raquel S Torrinhas, Priscila Sala, Wellington Andraus, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Graziela R Ravacci, Dan L Waitzberg, Department of Gastroenterology, Surgical Division, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil.
Raquel S
RS
Torrinhas
Giliane Belarmino, Raquel S Torrinhas, Priscila Sala, Wellington Andraus, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Graziela R Ravacci, Dan L Waitzberg, Department of Gastroenterology, Surgical Division, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil.
Priscila
P
Sala
Giliane Belarmino, Raquel S Torrinhas, Priscila Sala, Wellington Andraus, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Graziela R Ravacci, Dan L Waitzberg, Department of Gastroenterology, Surgical Division, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil.
Wellington
W
Andraus
Giliane Belarmino, Raquel S Torrinhas, Priscila Sala, Wellington Andraus, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Graziela R Ravacci, Dan L Waitzberg, Department of Gastroenterology, Surgical Division, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil.
Luiz Augusto Carneiro
LA
D'Albuquerque
Giliane Belarmino, Raquel S Torrinhas, Priscila Sala, Wellington Andraus, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Graziela R Ravacci, Dan L Waitzberg, Department of Gastroenterology, Surgical Division, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil.
Rosa Maria R
RM
Pereira
Giliane Belarmino, Raquel S Torrinhas, Priscila Sala, Wellington Andraus, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Graziela R Ravacci, Dan L Waitzberg, Department of Gastroenterology, Surgical Division, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil.
Valéria F
VF
Caparbo
Giliane Belarmino, Raquel S Torrinhas, Priscila Sala, Wellington Andraus, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Graziela R Ravacci, Dan L Waitzberg, Department of Gastroenterology, Surgical Division, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil.
Graziela R
GR
Ravacci
Giliane Belarmino, Raquel S Torrinhas, Priscila Sala, Wellington Andraus, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Graziela R Ravacci, Dan L Waitzberg, Department of Gastroenterology, Surgical Division, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil.
Lucas
L
Damiani
Giliane Belarmino, Raquel S Torrinhas, Priscila Sala, Wellington Andraus, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Graziela R Ravacci, Dan L Waitzberg, Department of Gastroenterology, Surgical Division, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil.
Steven B
SB
Heymsfield
Giliane Belarmino, Raquel S Torrinhas, Priscila Sala, Wellington Andraus, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Graziela R Ravacci, Dan L Waitzberg, Department of Gastroenterology, Surgical Division, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil.
Dan L
DL
Waitzberg
Bioelectrical impedance analysis; Body composition; Cirrhosis; Liver disease; Mortality; Nutritional assessment; Phase angle