Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education
Open Access

Abstract

Background: Malnutrition is a frequent complication of cirrhosis and it has been associated to more severe disease and development of complications. Phase angle is a bedside reliable tool for nutritional assessment based on conductivity properties of body tissues. �?´ Aim: To evaluate the association between malnutrition assessed through phase angle and mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study in a tertiary care centre; 249 patients were enrolled with 48 months of follow-up. Clinical, nutritional (malnutrition = phase angle â�?¤ 4.9â�?¦) and biochemical evaluations were performed. Studentâ�?�?s t-test and 2 method were used as appropriate. Kaplanâ�?�?Meier curves and multivariate Cox regression were used to evaluate mortality. Results: Mean follow-up was 33.5 months. Survival analysis showed higher mortality in the malnourished group compared to the well-nourished group (p = 0.076), Kaplanâ�?�?Meier curves were further stratified according to compensated and decompensated status showing higher mortality in compensated patients according to Childâ�?�?Pugh (p = 0.002) and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score (p = 0.008) when malnutrition was present. Multivariate analysis showed that malnutrition was independently associated with mortality (HR = 2.15, 1.18â�?�?3.92). Conclusions: In our cohort, malnutrition was independently associated with mortality. This is the first study showing higher mortality in malnourished compensated cirrhotic patients.

Biography

Email: ruizm.astrid@gmail.com