A controlled trial on nutrition supplementation in ambulatory patients with decompensated alcoholic liver disease was carried out during 1 year. Fifty-one patients were studied; 26 were assigned to an experimental group receiving a daily supplement of 1000 kcal and 34 g of proteins given as a casein-based enteral nutrition product and 25 to a control group receiving one placebo capsule. Patients were examined in a special clinic once a month or more if required. Sixty-eight percent of patients admitted to alcohol ingestion or had alcohol in urine samples on at least one occasion. Dietary recalls showed a significantly higher protein and caloric intake in case patients subjects (p < .0001). Nine patients died during the study, three case patients and six control patients (p = NS). The frequency of hospitalizations was significantly less in the experimental group. This difference was attributed to a reduction in severe infections. Mid-arm circumference, serum albumin concentration, and hand grip strength improved earlier in case patients, although both groups had a significant improvement in these parameters. Bilirubin and aspartate aminotransferase decreased and prothrombin time increased significantly in both groups during the study period, without differences between groups. It is concluded that nutrition support decreases nutrition-associated complications in patients with alcoholic liver disease.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Subjective global assessment of nutritional status: further validation.

Subject global assessment of nutritional status was performed on 175 patients admitted to the medical-surgical gastroenterology service of a general hospital by a first-year resident and a specialist in clinical nutrition who were not aware of each other's evaluation. Patients were classified as well nourished or moderately or severely undernourished. Simultaneously, anthropometry was performed, serum albumin measured, and two units of PPD inoculated. A 79% concordance between the global subjective assessments made by the residents and the specialists was found. Patients in the three groups had significantly different weight, midarm circumference, triceps skinfold, and serum albumin values, whereas the total lymphocyte count and the percentage of negative PPD reactions were not significantly different. Subjective global assessment is a useful tool for the evaluation of nutritional status, even when used by inexperienced professionals.

Anthropometry↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Dipeptidase activity and protein absorption in rats maintained on an alcoholic diet for 6 months].

Rats treated with ethanol during 10 to 14 weeks, do not present alteration of protein absorption in spite of alcohol's inhibiting action on amino acid transport. In these animals, intestinal dypeptidase activity at 24 weeks was similar in the alcoholic rats and in the control group, which may possibly be the explanation for the normal protein absorption.

Animals↗