Nutrition Management of Acute Postliver Transplant Recipients

Acute post liver transplant (LT) phase is characterized by hypermetabolism and increased nutrient requirements. This study aimed to provide the cardinal data on nutrition progression in the management of acute post-LT patients.

This exploratory study recruited 54 adult acute post-LT recipients. The information regarding patient stay, weight status, biochemical parameters, and route of feeding was gathered. Recipients' dietary and nutrient intake was computed by 24-h dietary recall method.

The data exhibited a significant trend of lower hemoglobin, platelet, and albumin levels and increased bilirubin (T), alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels (P < 0.05). In acute post-LT patients, a significant decrease in weight status (P < 0.001*) was observed. The recipients' information on daily nutrition progression showed significantly lower intake of calorie, protein, fats, calcium (P < 0.05) and lower percentage adequacy of other nutrients as compared to the recommended guidelines. The energy and protein intake from the parenteral route of feeding significantly decreased and that of through oral route significantly increased (P < 0.05) from postoperative day (POD) 2 to POD 9 and POD 12.

There are scant data on nutrition management in acute post-LT phase. The present study provides the framework for the formulation of continuous, patient-centric, aggressive nutrition management interventions for acute post-LT recipients.