Nutritional care in hospitalized patients with chronic liver disease

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of hospitalised patients with liver cirrhosis n (%)

Variable	n = 231
Gender	167 M; 64 F
Age (yr)	56.3 ± 0.9
Aetiology
Alcohol	130 (56)
Alcohol and HCV	28 (12)
HCV	23 (10)
NAFLD	19 (8)
Others	31 (14)
Child-Pugh classification
Childs A	21 (9)
Childs B	96 (42)
Childs C	114 (49)
MELD Score	17.0 ± 0.5
Ascites	135 (71)
Hepatic encephalopathy	88 (38)
Albumin	24.9 ± 0.3
Bilirubin	80.3 ± 7.1
INR	1.6 ± 0.04
Median LOS (d)	7 (1-116)
Admission with variceal bleeding	30 (13)
28-d mortality	31 (13)
In-hospital mortality	33 (14)

HCV: Hepatitis C virus; NAFLD: Non-alcoholic liver disease; MELD: Model for End-Stage Liver Disease; INR: International normalised ratio; LOS: Length of stay.

Table 2 Characteristics of hospitalised patients assessed by dietician n (%)

Variable	No nutritional assessment(n = 100)	Nutritional assessment(n = 131)	P value
Gender	75M; 25F	92M; 39F	0.46
Age	57.6 ± 1.3	55.3 ± 1.2	0.23
Aetiology-alcohol	66 (66)	99 (76)	0.14
Child-Pugh score	9.1 ± 0.9	9.9 ± 0.2	0.01
MELD score	16.6 ± 0.8	17.4 ± 0.6	0.20
Ascites	63 (63)	102 (78)	0.02
Hepatic encephalopathy	35 (35)	53 (40)	0.40
Albumin	26.3 ± 0.7	23.1 ± 0.4	0.004
Bilirubin	71.4 ± 10.6	87.1 ± 9.6	0.15
INR	1.6 ± 0.05	1.7 ± 0.05	0.43
Median LOS	5 (1-116)	9 (1-100)	0.09
Admission with variceal bleeding	15 (15)	15 (11)	0.44
28-d mortality	12 (12)	19 (15)	0.55
In-hospital mortality	12 (12)	21 (16)	0.45

MELD: Model for End-Stage Liver Disease; INR: International normalised ratio; LOS: Length of stay.

Table 3 Characteristics of malnourished vs well-nourished cirrhotic patients

	Normal nutritional status(n = 57)	Malnutrition(n = 74)	P value
Gender	39M:18F	53M:21F	0.89
Age	54.9 ± 1.9	55.6 ± 1.6	0.89
Aetiology-alcohol	41	58	0.41
Child-Pugh Classification
Childs A	3	4	1.00
Childs B	23	28	0.86
Childs C	31	42	0.70
Child Pugh score	9.72 ± 0.3	9.99 ± 0.3	0.48
MELD score	16.9 ± 0.8	17.8 ± 0.9	0.87
Ascites	44	58	1.00
Hepatic encephalopathy	23	30	1.00
Albumin	24.5 ± 0.8	23.3 ± 0.6	0.25
Bilirubin	85.3 ± 12.9	88.5 ± 13.9	0.90
INR	1.6 ± 0.1	1.7 ± 0.1	0.38
Creatinine	84.9 ± 8.6	91.6 ± 8.6	0.70
BMI	26.3 ± 0.7	23.2 ± 0.8	0.005
28-d mortality	3	16	0.011
In-hospital mortality	3	18	0.0035

MELD: Model for End-Stage Liver Disease; INR: International normalised ratio; LOS: Length of stay; BMI: Body mass index.