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Mafi VIP, Soldera J. Palliative care for end-stage liver disease and acute on chronic liver failure: A systematic review. World J Methodol 2024; 14:95904. [DOI: 10.5662/wjm.v14.i4.95904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND End stage liver disease (ESLD) represents a growing health concern characterized by elevated morbidity and mortality, particularly among individual ineligible for liver transplantation. The demand for palliative care (PC) is pronounced in patients grappling with ESLD and acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF). Unfortunately, the historical underutilization of PC in ESLD patients, despite their substantial needs and those of their family caregivers, underscores the imperative of seamlessly integrating PC principles into routine healthcare practices across the entire disease spectrum.
AIM To comprehensively investigate the evidence surrounding the benefits of incorporating PC into the comprehensive care plan for individuals confronting ESLD and/or ACLF.
METHODS A systematic search in the Medline (PubMed) database was performed using a predetermined search command, encompassing studies published in English without any restrictions on the publication date. Subsequently, the retrieved studies were manually examined. Simple descriptive analyses were employed to summarize the results.
RESULTS The search strategies yielded 721 references. Following the final analysis, 32 full-length references met the inclusion criteria and were consequently incorporated into the study. Meticulous data extraction from these 32 studies was undertaken, leading to the execution of a comprehensive narrative systematic review. The review found that PC provides significant benefits, reducing symptom burden, depressive symptoms, readmission rates, and hospital stays. Yet, barriers like the appeal of transplants and misconceptions about PC hinder optimal utilization. Integrating PC early, upon the diagnosis of ESLD and ACLF, regardless of transplant eligibility and availability, improves the quality of life for these patients.
CONCLUSION Despite the substantial suffering and poor prognosis associated with ESLD and ACLF, where liver transplantation stands as the only curative treatment, albeit largely inaccessible, PC services have been overtly provided too late in the course of the illness. A comprehensive understanding of PC's pivotal role in treating ESLD and ACLF is crucial for overcoming these barriers, involving healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vakaola I Pulotu Mafi
- Post-Graduate Program, Acute Medicine, University of South Wales, Cardiff CF37 1DL, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Soldera
- Post-Graduate Program, Acute Medicine, University of South Wales, Cardiff CF37 1DL, United Kingdom
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2
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Sahoo S, Mishra E, Premkumar M. Antidepressants in People With Chronic Liver Disease and Depression: When Are They Warranted and How to Choose the Suitable One? J Clin Exp Hepatol 2024; 14:101390. [PMID: 38515504 PMCID: PMC10950710 DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2024.101390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Most chronic medical illnesses are associated with significant psychiatric comorbidity, especially in the form of depression, anxiety, and suicidality. Chronic liver disease (CLD) is no exception to this and rather is placed uniquely as compared to other diseases because of its intersection with alcohol use disorder and other substance use, which in itself is a mental illness. Patients with CLD may have comorbid psychiatric illnesses; the pharmacokinetic concerns arising out of hepatic dysfunction which affects pharmacotherapy for depression and vice versa. The high prevalence of medical comorbidities with CLD may further complicate the course and outcome of depression in such patients, and diagnostic and management issues arise from special situations like transplant evaluation, alcohol use disorder, and hepatic encephalopathy or multifactorial encephalopathy seen in a disoriented or agitated patient with CLD. For this narrative review, we carried out a literature search in PubMed/PubMed Central and in Google Scholar (1980-2023) with the keywords "depression in cirrhosis", "antidepressants in liver disease", "anxiety in liver disease", "depression in liver transplantation", and "drug interactions with antidepressants". This review presents a comprehensive view of the available research on the use of antidepressants in patients with CLD, including deciding to use them, choosing the right antidepressant, risks, drug interactions, and adverse reactions to expect, and managing the same. In addition, liver transplant fitness and the overlap of hepatic encephalopathy with neuropsychiatric illness will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swapnajeet Sahoo
- Department of Psychiatry, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Eepsita Mishra
- Department of Psychiatry, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Madhumita Premkumar
- Department of Hepatology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
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3
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Harris SJ, Stine JG. Frailty in liver transplantation: Exploring prescribing exercise as medicine to improve patient outcomes. Liver Int 2024. [PMID: 38899635 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Liver transplantation (LT) represents a curative avenue for individuals with advanced chronic liver disease. Given the inherent illness severity of LT candidates, identifying patients at greater risk for adverse outcomes before and after transplantation is paramount. Approximately 50% of cirrhotic patients are frail and have considerable functional impairment. Various measures have been used to assess frailty, including performance-based tests and functional status evaluations. Frailty carries significant prognostic implications and predicts both mortality and pre- and post-LT complications. Contributing factors to frailty in this population include sarcopenia, malnutrition, inflammation, and psychosocial factors. Recognizing the prevalence of frailty among LT candidates, exercise interventions have been developed to improve physical frailty and offer potential to improve patient outcomes. While many interventions have demonstrated efficacy without notable adverse events, the absence of a universally accepted standard for exercise prescription underscores the variability in intervention elements and patient adherence. Given the safety profile of exercise interventions, there remains a critical need for standardized protocols and guidelines to optimize exercise regimens for LT candidates. This review delves into the landscape of frailty among LT candidates, elucidating its etiological underpinnings, impact on outcomes, utilization of exercise interventions, and the efficacy of exercise programs in reducing the burden frailty in those awaiting LT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara J Harris
- College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jonathan G Stine
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Penn State Health - Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
- Fatty Liver Program, Penn State Health - Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
- Liver Center, Penn State Health - Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Public Health Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University - College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
- Cancer Institute, Penn State Health - Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
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4
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Xie R, Jing X, Yang C. The prevalence and characteristics of frailty in cirrhosis patients: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Front Med (Lausanne) 2024; 11:1353406. [PMID: 38745743 PMCID: PMC11092890 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1353406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives This study aimed to assess the prevalence of frailty in cirrhosis patients and the distribution of age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) in cirrhotic patients with frailty. Methods We performed a thorough literature search using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from inception to 29 February 2024. The estimated prevalence with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated with a random effect model. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed to assess the heterogeneity and characterize the distribution of age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) in cirrhotic patients. Publication bias was assessed by the funnel plot, Begg's test, and Egger's test. Results The 16 included studies, which were all observational, reported a prevalence of frailty in 8,406 cirrhosis patients ranging from 9 to 65%, and the overall estimated prevalence was 27% (95% CI: 21-33%; I2 = 97.7%, P < 0.001). This meta-analysis indicated that the estimated prevalence of frailty in cirrhosis patients was high, and compared to the non-frail cohort, the frail cohort tended to have a higher mean age, with a mean age of 63.3 (95% CI: 59.9, 66.7; Z = 36.48; P < 0.001), and a larger proportion of male patients with worse liver function, with a mean of 73.5% (95% CI: 71.4, 75.5%; Z = 7.65; P < 0.001), ND in the frail cohort, 54.8% (95% CI: 43.1, 66.5%; P < 0.001) and 23.4% (95% CI: 13.2, 33.7%; P < 0.001) were classified into Child-Pugh B and C, respectively. Meanwhile, the patients in the non-frail cohort are more likely to have a higher BMI, with a mean of 28.4 (95% CI: 24.1, 32.7; Z = 13.07; P < 0.001). Conclusion The current study suggests that cirrhosis patients have a high prevalence of frailty. Compared with the non-frail cohort, the frail patients tend to be male, older, and have a lower BMI with worse liver function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyu Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Hebei Institute of Gastroenterology, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Xiaotong Jing
- Department of Hematology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Chuanjie Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Hebei Institute of Gastroenterology, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
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5
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Kunz V, Wichmann G, Wald T, Dietz A, Wiegand S. Frailty and Increased Levels of Symptom Burden Can Predict the Presence of Each Other in HNSCC Patients. J Clin Med 2023; 13:212. [PMID: 38202219 PMCID: PMC10779894 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13010212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Frailty is an important risk factor for adverse events (AEs), especially in elderly patients. Therefore, assessing frailty before therapy is recommended. In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients, frailty is prognostic for severe postoperative complications and declining quality of life (QoL) after HNSCC treatment. Thus, assessment of frailty may help to identify individuals at risk for AE caused by oncologic therapy. We investigated the relationship between frailty and symptom burden to better understand their interaction and impact on HNSCC patients. In this prospectively designed cross-sectional study, the presence of frailty and symptom burden was assessed by using the Geriatric 8 (G8) and Minimal Documentation System (MIDOS2) questionnaires. A total of 59 consecutively accrued patients with a first diagnosis of HNSCC before therapy were evaluated. Patients were considered frail at a total G8 score ≤ 14. The MIDOS2 symptom burden score was considered pathological with a total score ≥ 4 or any severe symptom (=3). Statistical correlations were analyzed using Spearman and Pearson correlation. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze the potential of predicting frailty and MIDOS2. p-values < 0.05 were considered significant. A total of 41 patients (69.5%) were considered frail, and 27 patients (45.8%) had increased symptom burden. "Tiredness" was the most common (overall rate 57.8%) and "Pain" was the most often stated "severe" symptom (5 patients, 8.5%). G8 and MIDOS2 correlated significantly (ρ = -0.487, p < 0.001; r = -0.423, p < 0.001). Frailty can be predicted by MIDOS2 symptom score (AUC = 0.808, 95% CI 0.698-0.917, p < 0.001). Vice versa, the G8 score can predict pathological symptom burden according to MIDOS2 (AUC = 0.750, 95% CI 0.622-0.878, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The strong link between frailty and increased symptom burden assessed by G8 or MIDOS2 indicates a coherence of both risk factors in HNSCC patients. Considering at least one of both scores might improve the identification of individuals at risk and achieve higher QoL and reduced complication rates by decision making for appropriate therapy regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Kunz
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (G.W.); (A.D.); (S.W.)
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6
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Elsheikh M, El Sabagh A, Mohamed IB, Bhongade M, Hassan MM, Jalal PK. Frailty in end-stage liver disease: Understanding pathophysiology, tools for assessment, and strategies for management. World J Gastroenterol 2023; 29:6028-6048. [PMID: 38130738 PMCID: PMC10731159 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i46.6028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Frailty and sarcopenia are frequently observed in patients with end-stage liver disease. Frailty is a complex condition that arises from deteriorations across various physiological systems, including the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and immune systems, resulting in a reduced ability of the body to withstand stressors. This condition is associated with declined resilience and increased vulnerability to negative outcomes, including disability, hospitalization, and mortality. In cirrhotic patients, frailty is influenced by multiple factors, such as hyperammonemia, hormonal imbalance, malnutrition, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, and alcohol intake. Assessing frailty is crucial in predicting morbidity and mortality in cirrhotic patients. It can aid in making critical decisions regarding patients' eligibility for critical care and transplantation. This, in turn, can guide the development of an individualized treatment plan for each patient with cirrhosis, with a focus on prioritizing exercise, proper nutrition, and appropriate treatment of hepatic complications as the primary lines of treatment. In this review, we aim to explore the topic of frailty in liver diseases, with a particular emphasis on pathophysiology, clinical assessment, and discuss strategies for preventing frailty through effective treatment of hepatic complications. Furthermore, we explore novel assessment and management strategies that have emerged in recent years, including the use of wearable technology and telemedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mazen Elsheikh
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States
| | - Ahmed El Sabagh
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States
| | - Islam B Mohamed
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States
| | - Megha Bhongade
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States
| | - Manal M Hassan
- Department of Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, United States
| | - Prasun Kumar Jalal
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States
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7
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Deng Y, Hui Y, Cui B, Xie W, Sun C. Accumulating awareness on the clinical significance and relevance of frailty in cirrhosis: Time to dig deeper into mechanistic basis! Liver Int 2023; 43:1629-1643. [PMID: 37288711 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Frailty corresponds to an emerging construct in the hepatology which is originally introduced as a validated geriatric syndrome regarding increased vulnerability to pathophysiological stressors. As for patients with cirrhosis, the presence of frailty is indicative of debilitating conditions that subjects are prone to deleterious acute insults and have difficulties to restore even if the underlying liver function partially returned to normal levels. Since this conceptual development, a variety of tools assessing frailty have been proposed and evaluated in the context of cirrhosis. A recent performance-based metric for frailty, designated as Liver Frailty Index, has broadly been applied in patients with cirrhosis and exhibited acceptable predictive ability in relation to disease progression, mortality and hospitalization. However, those functional tests measuring frailty may be impossible to perform in circumstance that patients are critically ill or undergoing detrimental events. An interesting modality indicates the use of alternative tests to evaluate frailty, which may be more adaptable and of choice for specific subgroups. The interrelation between frailty and various cirrhosis-associated pathological entities is of clinical importance and implication. Noticeably, it is imperative to clarify these complex linkages to highlight novel therapeutic targets or interventional endpoints. The efficient and effective management of frailty is still challenging, but many attempts have been made to overcome barriers of affordability and availability. Some clinical trials on small scale revealed that home-based exercise and individualized nutrition therapy show benefits in patients with cirrhosis, and high adherence to the treatment regimen may direct better efficacy and performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Deng
- Center of Liver Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yangyang Hui
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital Airport Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Binxin Cui
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital Airport Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Wen Xie
- Center of Liver Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital Airport Hospital, Tianjin, China
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8
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Kao J, Reid N, Hubbard RE, Homes R, Hanjani LS, Pearson E, Logan B, King S, Fox S, Gordon EH. Frailty and solid-organ transplant candidates: a scoping review. BMC Geriatr 2022; 22:864. [PMCID: PMC9667636 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-022-03485-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
There is currently no consensus as to a standardized tool for frailty measurement in any patient population. In the solid-organ transplantation population, routinely identifying and quantifying frailty in potential transplant candidates would support patients and the multidisciplinary team to make well-informed, individualized, management decisions. The aim of this scoping review was to synthesise the literature regarding frailty measurement in solid-organ transplant (SOT) candidates.
Methods
A search of four databases (Cochrane, Pubmed, EMBASE and CINAHL) yielded 3124 studies. 101 studies (including heart, kidney, liver, and lung transplant candidate populations) met the inclusion criteria.
Results
We found that studies used a wide range of frailty tools (N = 22), including four ‘established’ frailty tools. The most commonly used tools were the Fried Frailty Phenotype and the Liver Frailty Index. Frailty prevalence estimates for this middle-aged, predominantly male, population varied between 2.7% and 100%. In the SOT candidate population, frailty was found to be associated with a range of adverse outcomes, with most evidence for increased mortality (including post-transplant and wait-list mortality), post-operative complications and prolonged hospitalisation. There is currently insufficient data to compare the predictive validity of frailty tools in the SOT population.
Conclusion
Overall, there is great variability in the approach to frailty measurement in this population. Preferably, a validated frailty measurement tool would be incorporated into SOT eligibility assessments internationally with a view to facilitating comparisons between patient sub-groups and national and international transplant services with the ultimate goal of improved patient care.
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9
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Guo G, Li C, Hui Y, Mao L, Sun M, Li Y, Yang W, Wang X, Yu Z, Fan X, Jiang K, Sun C. Sarcopenia and frailty combined increases the risk of mortality in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Ther Adv Chronic Dis 2022; 13:20406223221109651. [PMID: 35875834 PMCID: PMC9301127 DOI: 10.1177/20406223221109651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Both sarcopenia and frailty are prevalent in patients with decompensated
cirrhosis and associated with negative outcomes. However, few studies
investigated the impact of their coexistence on mortality. We aimed to
evaluate the role of sarcopenia and frailty on survival in a cohort of
hospitalized cirrhotics. Methods: This was an observational cohort study including 221 patients hospitalized
for decompensated events. The cutoff for low skeletal muscle index (SMI) at
the third lumbar vertebra level on computed tomography built by our previous
work (male: SMI <46.96 cm2/m2; female: SMI
<32.46 cm2/m2) was used for the diagnosis of
sarcopenia. Individuals with a Frailty Index >0.38 were considered frail.
The sample was divided into four groups: sarcopenia and frailty (SF);
sarcopenia and non-frailty (SN); non-sarcopenia and frailty (NF); and
non-sarcopenia and non-frailty (NN). Follow-up for survival lasted
2 years. Results: Sarcopenia and frailty were present in 21.7% and 14.5% of the patients,
respectively. The frequency of frailty in the group of sarcopenic patients
was significantly higher than in the patients without sarcopenia (27.1%
versus 11%, p = 0.009). In the
survival analysis, the SF group showed a higher hazard ratio (2.604 in model
1; 4.294 in model 2) for mortality when compared with the NN group. In
addition, the concurrence of those two conditions does give rise to
incremental risk for mortality when compared with the group with each
disturbance separately, namely, the SN/NF group. Conclusion: In conclusion, cirrhotic patients with sarcopenia and frailty combined showed
higher mortality risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoyue Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Chaoqun Li
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yangyang Hui
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Lihong Mao
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Mingyu Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yifan Li
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Wanting Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zihan Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaofei Fan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Kui Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Chao Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Heping District, Tianjin 300052, China
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10
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Li C, Zhao C, Yu Z, Yang W, Sun M, Li Y, Guo G, Hui Y, Wang X, Fan X, Wang B, Zhang J, Sun C. Low free triiodothyronine levels are associated with frail phenotype in hospitalized inpatients with cirrhosis. Postgrad Med 2022; 134:516-523. [PMID: 35382681 DOI: 10.1080/00325481.2022.2063487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Frailty is a prevalent complication predicting morbidity and mortality in cirrhosis. However, the association between thyroid hormone levels and frailty in cirrhotics remains elusive. Therefore we aimed to evaluate the relationship between thyroid hormone and frail phenotype in euthyroid patients with cirrhosis. METHODS A total of 214 adult cirrhotic inpatients were divided into two groups according to Frailty Index. Concentrations of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were compared. An analysis of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was implemented to determine the best cut-off for frailty. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association between FT3 and frailty. RESULTS ROC analysis indicated that the optimal cut-off to stratify frailty was FT3 <3.03 pmol/L with an area under the curve of 0.673 (95% CI: 0.582-0.764, p = 0.002), sensitivity of 81.8% and specificity of 51.9%. Patients with FT3 <3.03 pmol/L exhibited higher incidence of Child-Pugh class B/C, elevated model for end-stage liver disease score, higher creatinine, lower sodium as well as higher incidence of frailty (23.7 vs 6.0%, p < 0.001). A negative correlation was observed between FT3 values and Frailty Index (r = -0.220, p = 0.001). FT3 remained an independent risk factor for frailty after adjusting for age, Child-Pugh class, creatinine, sodium and alanine aminotransferase. CONCLUSION In our current study, FT3 <3.03 pmol/L were significantly associated with increased risk for frailty. Measuring FT3, a readily available biomarker, may be useful for identifying frail phenotype in euthyroid patients with cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoqun Li
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Department of Internal Medicine, Tianjin Hexi Hospital, Qiongzhou Road 43, Tianjin, Hexi District 300202, China
| | - Chunshan Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Tianjin Institute of Digestive Disease, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China
| | - Zihan Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Tianjin Institute of Digestive Disease, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China
| | - Wanting Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Tianjin Institute of Digestive Disease, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China
| | - Mingyu Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Tianjin Institute of Digestive Disease, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China
| | - Yifan Li
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Tianjin Institute of Digestive Disease, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China
| | - Gaoyue Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Tianjin Institute of Digestive Disease, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China
| | - Yangyang Hui
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Tianjin Institute of Digestive Disease, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Tianjin Institute of Digestive Disease, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China
| | - Xiaofei Fan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Tianjin Institute of Digestive Disease, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China
| | - Bangmao Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Tianjin Institute of Digestive Disease, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Tianjin Institute of Digestive Disease, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China
| | - Chao Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Tianjin Institute of Digestive Disease, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road 154, Tianjin, Heping District 300052, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital Airport Hospital, East Street 6, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin 300308, China
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Deng LX, Kent DS, O'Riordan DL, Pantilat SZ, Lai JC, Bischoff KE. Symptom Burden Is Associated with Increased Emergency Department Utilization among Patients with Cirrhosis. J Palliat Med 2022; 25:213-218. [PMID: 34348042 PMCID: PMC8861938 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2021.0219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Patients with cirrhosis have significant morbidity and mortality, as well as substantial symptom burden. Objective: We investigated the relationship between symptom burden and inpatient health care utilization among patients with cirrhosis. Methods: Adult patients with cirrhosis being evaluated for or awaiting liver transplantation at an academic institution in the United States completed the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), a validated symptom evaluation tool with total scores ranging from 0 to 90. The outcomes of interest were emergency department (ED) visits, nonelective hospitalizations, hospital days, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and 30-day readmissions within 6 months. Adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were used to examine the relationship between ESAS scores and outcomes. Results: Of 233 patients (43% female, median age 61), the median total ESAS score was 16 (interquartile range 6-30). Higher total scores on the ESAS were associated with increased ED visits, hospitalizations, hospital days, and ICU days (all p < 0.04). After adjusting for age, gender, and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-sodium, ESAS total score remained an independent predictor of ED visits (IRR 1.05, confidence interval [95% CI] 1.00-1.10, p = 0.03). Multivariate ESAS subscale analyses revealed that the physical symptom score was associated with ED visits (IRR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.16, p = 0.01), but the psychological symptom score was not (IRR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00-1.08, p = 0.15). Conclusions: Patient-reported symptoms, particularly physical symptoms, are independently associated with ED visits among patients with cirrhosis being considered for liver transplantation. Further research is needed to examine whether addressing symptoms more aggressively, such as with palliative care co-management, could decrease ED utilization in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa X. Deng
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Dorothea S. Kent
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - David L. O'Riordan
- Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Steven Z. Pantilat
- Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jennifer C. Lai
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kara E. Bischoff
- Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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Ohikere K, Veracruz N, Wong RJ. Cognitive Impairment and Cirrhosis in Older Patients: A Systematic Review. Gerontol Geriatr Med 2022; 8:23337214221122520. [PMID: 36105374 PMCID: PMC9465583 DOI: 10.1177/23337214221122520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Prevalence of cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in older patients receiving care in long-term care settings is unknown. This systematic review aimed to identify potential factors associated with HE and cognitive impairment in older patients with cirrhosis. A PubMed search of English-language articles published between January 1, 2000, and November 3, 2021, was conducted to identify studies in adults with cirrhosis relevant to cognitive impairment and/or HE (e.g., fall, frailty, and sarcopenia). Of 2,879 English-language publications, 24 were included. In patients with cirrhosis, falls were increased in the presence of HE and were associated with increased injury risk. Frailty was associated with HE development and cognitive impairment in patients with cirrhosis. Further, cognitive impairment and frailty were predictive of HE-related hospitalizations. Sarcopenia increased the risk of developing HE. Furthermore, specific medications increased the risk of developing HE. Risk reduction and management of patients with HE are critical to prevent negative outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kabiru Ohikere
- San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Robert J Wong
- Stanford University School of Medicine and Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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