No abstract

Gastrointestinal dysfunction frequently occurs in liver cirrhosis and increases with disease severity. The major abnormalities are altered gastrointestinal motility, disrupted gut barrier function with increased intestinal permeability and malabsorption. Not only does the presence of these gut abnormalities impair oral intake and lead to malnutrition, they can play a central role in the pathogenesis of many of the complications of liver cirrhosis as well as liver disease progression. The aim of this paper is review the details of gastrointestinal dysfunction in chronic liver disease and the associated impact on the clinical outcomes.