Abstract
• Sarcopenia is one of the most common complications of cirrhosis, leading to functional
deterioration and frailty.
• Sarcopenia may also occur in obese patients, but due to the coexistence of obesity, it might be
overlooked.
• Sarcopenia and frailty predict lower survival in patients with cirrhosis and patients undergoing
liver transplantation, independent of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score.
• Limitations of the MELD score include its failure to assess the nutritional and functional status of
cirrhotic patients.
• Patients with a low MELD score and sarcopenia may be under prioritised.
• Adding sarcopenia to the MELD score is controversial since the added predictive value is modest
and inconsistent.
• Dietary and moderate exercise interventions in patients with cirrhosis are consistently beneficial
and safe, but large long-term studies are needed.
• All patients with cirrhosis should be encouraged to exercise, provided with practical advice
appropriate to their abilities, and always accompanied by nutritional intervention.
• Changing dietary composition without necessarily reducing caloric intake may promote
maintenance of weight reduction and liver steaatosis reducation in the long-term, and may
represent a more feasible alternative to treat NAFLD patients.
• Recent feeding studies and short-term clinical trials emphasised the independent therapeutic
effect of replacing an unhealthy Western dietary pattern, typical to NAFLD patients, with a
healthy pattern (e.g. Mediterranean diet).
• A heathy lifestyle is also important in terms of glycaemic control and primary prevention of
CVD and HCC.
deterioration and frailty.
• Sarcopenia may also occur in obese patients, but due to the coexistence of obesity, it might be
overlooked.
• Sarcopenia and frailty predict lower survival in patients with cirrhosis and patients undergoing
liver transplantation, independent of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score.
• Limitations of the MELD score include its failure to assess the nutritional and functional status of
cirrhotic patients.
• Patients with a low MELD score and sarcopenia may be under prioritised.
• Adding sarcopenia to the MELD score is controversial since the added predictive value is modest
and inconsistent.
• Dietary and moderate exercise interventions in patients with cirrhosis are consistently beneficial
and safe, but large long-term studies are needed.
• All patients with cirrhosis should be encouraged to exercise, provided with practical advice
appropriate to their abilities, and always accompanied by nutritional intervention.
• Changing dietary composition without necessarily reducing caloric intake may promote
maintenance of weight reduction and liver steaatosis reducation in the long-term, and may
represent a more feasible alternative to treat NAFLD patients.
• Recent feeding studies and short-term clinical trials emphasised the independent therapeutic
effect of replacing an unhealthy Western dietary pattern, typical to NAFLD patients, with a
healthy pattern (e.g. Mediterranean diet).
• A heathy lifestyle is also important in terms of glycaemic control and primary prevention of
CVD and HCC.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | European Association for the Study of the Liver postgraduate course international liver congress book |
Publisher | European Association for the Study of the Liver postgraduate course international liver congress |
Pages | 86-97 |
Number of pages | 12 |
State | Published - 2019 |
Event | The International Liver Congress: End Stage Liver Disease - Vienna, Austria Duration: 10 Apr 2019 → 11 Apr 2019 |
Conference
Conference | The International Liver Congress |
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Country/Territory | Austria |
City | Vienna |
Period | 10/04/19 → 11/04/19 |