A comparison of nutritional status in three time points of liver transplant

Patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) often experience dietary restrictions that may influence their nutritional status. With the objective of comparing the status of liver transplant patients pre- versus in the early and late postoperative periods, a retrospective study evaluated 33 adults (63.6% men and 36.4% women) mean age 47 years for body mass index (BMI), current body weight/ideal body weight (%CBW/IBW), current body weight/usual body weight (%CBW/UBW), adequacy of tricipital skin fold (%TSF), generalized adipose reserve (%F), adequacy of mid-upper arm muscle circumference (%MMC), and serum albumin. The elapsed time between nutritional evaluation and LT was 446 days for the pre-LT group, 31 for the early post-LT group, and 244 for the late post-LT group; 30.3% were Child C and 63.6% B in the pre-LT phase. The median value to %TST in pre-LT, early LT, and late LT were 91.7%, 70.8%, and 78.0%, respectively. The analysis of mean value of %F was 25.9% in the pretransplant, 23.3% in early postoperative, and 25.3% in late postoperative stages %MMC was 85.5% for pretransplant patients, it was 86.6% in the early versus 89.9% in the late stages. While BMI was 24.9 kg/m(2) in the preoperative 22.9 kg/m(2) in early, and 24.2 kg/m(2) in late phases. Similarly, concerning %CBW/UBW the mean values were 96.2% in the preoperative group, 64.1% in early, and 101.9% in late groups. The %CBW/IBW mean values were 113.9% in the pre- versus 104.6% in the early and 111.2% in the late periods. The values of serum albumin and %CBW/UBW were statistically different for Child B,C as well as when the patients were not classified by the Child criteria. There was a deterioration in status from pretransplant period to early postoperative with improvement in the late period.

Malaria seroepidemiology: comparison between indirect fluorescent antibody test and enzyme immunoassay using bloodspot eluates

Blood sampling on filter paper is a current practice in malaria seroepidemiological studies by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). There is, however, scant comparative information about the use of bloodspot eluates for detection of malarial IgG antibodies simultaneously by IFAT and enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). Here we report data obtained by both serological methods done on 219 bloodspot eluate samples collected in a rural community in Brazilian Amazon Basin (Alto Paraíso, Ariquemes municipality) where malaria is endemic. Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax thick smear antigens were used in the IFAT; a detergent-soluble P. falciparum antigen was prepared for ELISA. Substantial agreement of results (Kappa coefficient k = 0.686) was observed when P. falciparum antigen was used in both tests, and IFAT titers were found to be strongly correlated to ELISA antibody units (Spearman correlation coefficient rs = 0.818, p < 0.001). Only moderate agreement (k = 0.467) between IFAT with P. vivax antigen and ELISA with P. falciparum antigen was observed. Spearman correlation coefficient value between quantitative results (IFAT titers and ELISA antibody units) in this case was numerically lower (rs = 0.540, p < 0.0001). Our results suggest that, with P. falciparum antigen, both IFAT and ELISA performed on bloodspot eluates are equivalent for seroepidemiological purposes.