Influencia de la desnutrición en la aparición de complicaciones y mortalidad en pacientes cirróticos

Nutrient Energy Malnutrition (NEM) is a common feature among liver cirrhosis (LC) patients, and might constitute a negative predictor of patient’s survival. A prospective descriptive study was carried out in order to assess the influence of LC patient’s nutritional status on the occurrence of complications and mortality in a tertiary care health institution in Havana City (Cuba). One-hundred twenty-one patients were recruited for the study (Women: 52,9%; Younger than 60 years: 59,0%; Whites: 90,0%). C virus infection, alcoholism, and B virus infection accounted for 71,0% of LC cases. Ninety-two percents of the patients had less than 5 yearse of diagnosis. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) of nutritional status returned a 45,0% of malnutrition. Malnutrition was associated with disease progression: twenty-one percent of A Child-Pugh Stage patients was malnourished, but this rate increased to become 90,0% among those in C stage. Fat and skeletal muscle compartments were reduced in 36,0 and 37,0% of the patients, respectively. Complications affected 44,6% of the patients. Sixty percent of them were malnourished (p < 0,01). One-year mortality rate was 11,0%. Ninety-two percent of deceased patients were malnourished (p < 0,01). LC malnourished patients have greater risk of complications and death as compared to well-nourished ones. (Nutr Hosp. 2008;23:68-74)