Role of Nutrition in the Management of Chronic Liver Disease

Abstract

Malnutrition is prevalent, detrimental, and associated with worse outcomes, including higher rates of hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality. In this review article, we aimed to define malnutrition in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD), elucidate the pathogenesis of malnutrition, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of current screening methods, and highlight the latest evidence-based dietary recommendations. Emerging evidence suggests that CLD-specific tools such as the Liver Disease Undernutrition Screening Tool and the Royal Free Hospital-Nutritional Prioritizing Tool can accurately identify patients at high risk for malnutrition and should be used in conjunction with more standard tools such as subjective global assessments. The pathogenesis of malnutrition in CLD is multifactorial but seems to arise in large from altered metabolism, namely a reduction in protein synthesis and an increase in resting energy expenditure. However, decreased nutrient intake, impaired nutrient absorption and increased nutrient losses have also been shown to contribute. Key findings in this review argue against protein-restricted diets in patients with CLD and support the use of plant-based proteins over dairy and meat proteins for those with liver cirrhosis complicated by hepatic encephalopathy. Frequent small meals are recommended in patients with liver cirrhosis in addition to the avoidance of prolonged fasts >12 hours due to their hypercatabolic state. CLD covers a wide spectrum of diseases, and this review calls for an individualized approach to addressing the specific nutritional needs, depending on the etiology of CLD, its severity, associated complications, and comorbid conditions. This can be best achieved by close, longitudinal follow-up with a multidisciplinary team including a registered dietitian who can obtain a comprehensive, accurate nutritional assessment.