Consumo alimentar dos portadores de Doença Hepática Gordurosa Não Alcoólica: comparação entre a presença e a ausência de Esteatoepatite Não Alcoólica e Síndrome Metabólica

Dietary intake of pregnant women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A case-control study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Findings on the role of diet in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) pathogenesis are inconsistent. There are few studies on the dietary habits of pregnant women with NAFLD. Our primary aim was to compare the dietary intakes of pregnant women with and without NAFLD.

METHODS

This case-control study recruited 60 women (26-34 weeks' gestation) with recently diagnosed gestational diabetes (GDM) before any treatment was implemented. At recruitment, all participants underwent B-mode hepatic ultrasound. We included 30 women with sonographic NAFLD (cases) and 30 women without NAFLD (controls) matched for age, skin color, and pre-pregnancy body mass index. We assessed participants' dietary intakes in the last six months using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Mann-Whitney´s test was used to compare differences in median macro and micronutrient intakes between cases and controls.

RESULTS

Total median daily energy (1965.1 × 1949.2 calories) and lipid (25.1% × 28.3%) intakes were similar in women with and without NAFLD and fell within recommended ranges. Participants with NAFLD reported significantly higher median daily intakes of carbohydrates (59.4% × 53.1% p = 0.003), and significantly lower protein (15.6% × 17.0% p = 0.005), fiber (10.7 × 13.3 g/day p = 0.010), and vitamin C (151.8 × 192.6 mg/day p = 0.008) intakes than those without NAFLD.

CONCLUSIONS

Pregnant women with NAFLD ingest more carbohydrates and less protein, fiber, and vitamin C than those without NAFLD. Our findings contribute to understanding the role of diet in the development of NAFLD in pregnant women.

Correlation between nutritional assessment and oxidative stress in candidates for liver transplant

Objective

To evaluate the oxidative profile, nutritional status and food intake (caloric value; macronutrients; vitamins A, E and C; and zinc), and to correlate oxidative stress with nutritional status in patients who were candidates for liver transplant.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional, analytical, and descriptive study with 51 candidates for liver transplant. Sociodemographic and clinical data, anthropometric parameters, food consumption, and a 10mL blood sample were collected from each patient. Oxidative stress was analyzed by the thiobarbituric acid method. The consumption of macronutrients, caloric value and micronutrients (zinc, vitamins A, E and C) were qualitatively analyzed, and zinc was also quantitatively analyzed.

Results

The mean age was 49.17±8.17 years. The highest percentage of malnutrition was according to arm muscle circumference (56.86%), followed by arm circumference (52.94%), triceps skin fold (50.98%), and body mass index (1.96%). The mean malondialdehyde level was 14.80±8.72μM/L, presenting a negative correlation with the body mass index for patients with liver cirrhosis according to IMC-Campillo values (p=0.001; r=-0.430). Low energy, carbohydrate, protein, vitamin A and E consumption were observed in more than 50% of subjects.

Conclusion

This study showed an association of nutritional status through body mass index for patients with liver cirrhosis according to IMC-Campillo, with oxidative stress in patients with liver cirrhosis on a liver transplant waiting list.