CORRELATION BETWEEN CLINICAL STAGE OF LIVER CIRRHOSIS AND MALNUTRITION IN THE ELDERLY Syifa Mustika,* Sri Sunarti,** Bogi

Pratomo, Supriono, *** Harijanto Ahmad **** * Resident of Internal Medicine ** Lecturer, Geriatric Division, Department of Internal Medicine *** Lecturer, Gastroenterohepatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine Saiful Anwar Hospital Faculty of Medicine Brawijaya University, Malang **** Internist, Internal Medicine Department, Bangil General Hospital Background: Malnutrition is more frequent in liver cirrhosis patients than other illness, especially in the elderly. Mini nutritional assessment forms and anthropometrics measurements are still applicable to assess nutritional status in liver cirrhosis. Objective: The aim of this study is to determine correlations between clinical stage of liver cirrhosis and malnutrition in the elderly. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 26 geriatric patients hospitalized in Bangil General Hospital from FebruaryApril 2011. The data included age, gender, triceps skin-fold thickness (TST), mid-arm circumference (MAC), Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Forms (MNA-SF), Child-Pugh Score (CP) and etiology of liver cirrhosis. Statistical analysis using SPSS ver. 17.0 and coefficient correlation was calculated using Spearmans methods which significant if p<0.001. Results: Twenty six patients (Mean age 67.45.6 years; 57.7% female; 61.5% viral hepatitis B; ChildPugh B 57.7%). Mean MNA-SF 7.4+1.9 and malnutrition was prevalent in 13 (50%) patients. Mean TST 14.1+4.9 mm and MAC 24.4+2.7 cm. Correlation coefficient between ChildPugh score and MNA-SF shows moderate strength (r= -0.51, p<0.001). While coefficient correlation between Child-Pugh score and TST; Child-Pugh and MAC both shows strong correlation (r =-0.66; r =-0.72, consecutively; p<0.001). Conclusion: Approaching the state of malnutrition in elderly patients having liver cirrhosis by using simple and easily applied methods is necessary in order to manage and provide nutritional support. Triceps skin fold thickness and Mid-arm circumferences had significant correlation with clinical stage of liver cirrhosis, therefore it should be use routinely in our daily practice. Keyword(s): Malnutrition, liver cirrhosis, mini nutritional assessment, triceps skin fold thickness, mid-arm circumference.

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