Poor nutritional status need to be addressed in patients with cirrhosis who had a liver transplant and emphasis needs to be made in screening these patients, reveals a new study.
Poor nutrition is common in patients with liver failure, or cirrhosis, and it can lead to muscle wasting, weakness, fatigue, and worse outcomes before and after patients undergo liver transplantation.
Survivorship Improving for Acute Liver Failure Patients
Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare condition - only 2,000 cases occur a year - but the disease is noteworthy because it typically happens in young people.
Advertisement
‘Consuming adequate amount of calories and protein can help fight poor nutritional status in liver transplant patients.’
Tweet it Now
The new review was published in Liver Transplantation.
"Muscle wasting is frequently overlooked in liver transplant candidates as nutritional assessment is not routinely carried out as part of clinical practice, and an accurate assessment can be complicated by obesity or fluid retention," said the review's senior author, Aldo J. Montano-Loza, MD, MSc, PhD, of the University of Alberta.
![Eating Wild Mushrooms can Lead to Liver Failure, Even Death As They Can Be Poisonous]( "Eating Wild Mushrooms can Lead to Liver Failure, Even Death As They Can Be Poisonous")
Distinguishing safe from harmful mushrooms is a challenge. Foraging is becoming increasingly popular, so people need to be aware of the associated risks.
"Muscle wasting is one of the major features of undernutrition in cirrhosis, and currently, high resolution image-based techniques such as computed tomography constitute the best way to evaluate body composition in these patients."
According to Dr. Montano-Loza and his colleagues, ensuring adequate caloric and protein intake forms the foundation of therapy for undernutrition in liver transplant candidates, and patients should avoid fasting for longer than six hours.
Studies have demonstrated potential for additional therapies—such as consuming branched-chain amino acids or fish oil supplements and taking hormone replacement therapy; however, their potential benefits need to be confirmed in randomized controlled trials.
"Physical activity is also an important aspect of therapy," said Dr. Montano-Loza. "Therefore, supervised mobilization should be encouraged and physiotherapy should be consulted liberally when patients are in the hospital to minimize total bed rest and muscle atrophy."
He noted that for cirrhosis patients who do not have access to dieticians and exercise specialists, it's especially important that their clinicians are aware of guideline recommendations for both diet and physical activity.
Source: Eurekalert
Eating Wild Mushrooms can Lead to Liver Failure, Even Death As They Can Be Poisonous
Distinguishing safe from harmful mushrooms is a challenge. Foraging is becoming increasingly popular, so people need to be aware of the associated risks.
Advertisement
"Muscle wasting is one of the major features of undernutrition in cirrhosis, and currently, high resolution image-based techniques such as computed tomography constitute the best way to evaluate body composition in these patients."
According to Dr. Montano-Loza and his colleagues, ensuring adequate caloric and protein intake forms the foundation of therapy for undernutrition in liver transplant candidates, and patients should avoid fasting for longer than six hours.
Studies have demonstrated potential for additional therapies—such as consuming branched-chain amino acids or fish oil supplements and taking hormone replacement therapy; however, their potential benefits need to be confirmed in randomized controlled trials.
"Physical activity is also an important aspect of therapy," said Dr. Montano-Loza. "Therefore, supervised mobilization should be encouraged and physiotherapy should be consulted liberally when patients are in the hospital to minimize total bed rest and muscle atrophy."
He noted that for cirrhosis patients who do not have access to dieticians and exercise specialists, it's especially important that their clinicians are aware of guideline recommendations for both diet and physical activity.
Source: Eurekalert
New Prediction Model may Improve Patient Survival Following Paracetamol-related Liver Failure
A high mortality rate has been noted in the UK paracetamol toxicity which is the most common cause of ALF.
Advertisement
 Research Indicates Liver Stiffness Predicts Liver Failure, Cancer and Mortality in Cirrhotic PatientsResearchers from Spain established that liver stiffness, measured by transient elastography (TE), is an independent predictor of liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and | Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Readings
Latest Lifestyle and Wellness News
Prolonged sitting among office goers, pose risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, and certain types of cancers.
Yogurt's protein and fat content demonstrated its unidentified deodorizing properties against garlic's pungent odor.
People who smoke tobacco and cannabis have an increased risk of depression and anxiety than those who use either substance alone or not at all.
Research reveals the association between cognitive impairment and physically demanding careers, emphasizing the need for preventative strategies.
Excessive and protracted sedentary mode of life can result in cardiovascular problems, loss of muscle mass, increased body fat, and more.
