Factors predicting nutritional derangements in patients with obstructive jaundice: multivariate analysis

Patients with obstructive jaundice (OJ) that requires surgery often have malnutrition associated with increased perioperative morbidity. This study investigated the factors influencing nutritional derangements in these patients. A series of 46 OJ patients were investigated prospectively (28 malignant tumors, 18 benign obstructions). A nutritional risk index of < 83.5 was used to define protein-calorie malnutrition. Liver function, cholecystokinin (CCK), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha), and endotoxin levels were determined. A multivariate analysis was performed, and an obstructive jaundice malnutrition index (OJMI) was obtained. Altogether, 22 (48%) OJ patients had malnutrition (33% with benign obstructions, 57% with malignant disease). Malnourished patients had higher serum bilirubin levels (258 +/- 120 vs. 154 +/- 62 mmol/L; p = 0.005), longer duration of jaundice (16 +/- 9 vs. 9 +/- 5 days; p = 0.03), and higher plasma levels of CCK (4.0 +/- 1.3 vs. 1.7 +/- 1.0 pmol/L; p = 0.005), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (226 +/- 209 vs. 187 +/- 161 UI/L; p = 0.01), endotoxin (15 +/- 10 vs. 6.5 +/- 7.0 EU/L; p = 0.007), and TNFalpha (69 +/- 82 vs. 23 +/- 15 pg/ml; p = 0.008) than those without malnutrition. However, only serum bilirubin, CCK, ALT, and patient age were predictors for malnutrition by multivariate analysis. Malnutrition might be expected (95% confidence interval) in patients older than 68 years with increased bilirubin (> 290 mmol/L) and ALT (> 210 UI/L) levels that corresponded with an OJMI > 55. It was concluded that nutritional alterations in patients with obstructive jaundice were determined by the intensity of the biliary obstruction correlated with increased plasma CCK levels as well as with liver dysfunction and patient age.