Background The aim of this study was whether the Food Intake Visual Scale (FIVS) can be used in clinical practice to measure food intake in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Methods A cross‐sectional study was performed with patients with cirrhosis between April 2017 and July 2019. The food intake was assessed through the 1‐day diet record (DR) and according to FIVS, which consists of pictures of four plates of food at different levels of consumption: “about all,” “half,” “a quarter,” or “nothing.” The analysis of variance test with Bonferroni multiple comparison analysis was used to compare the mean energy intake through the DR according to the FIVS categories. Results This study included 94 patients with a mean age of 60.29 ± 9.33 years. Patients with lower food intake according to the FIVS categories also had lower mean energy and macronutrient intake according to the DR: patients eating “about all” (n = 49, 52.1%) consumed a mean of 1526.58 ± 428.27 kcal/day, patients eating “half” (n = 16, 17%) consumed a mean of 1282.08 ± 302.83 kcal/day, patients eating “a quarter” (n = 25, 26.6%) consumed a mean of 978.96 ± 468.81 kcal/day, and patients eating “nothing” (n = 4, 4.3%) consumed a mean of 353.59 ± 113.16 kcal/day (P < .001). Conclusion The results of this study demonstrate that FIVS can be implemented in clinical practice to measure food intake in patients with decompensated cirrhosis as a substitute for the DR because it is a noninvasive, low‐cost, quick, reliable, and easy bedside method for obtaining data.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the nutrition status through phase angle (PA) and its association with mortality in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed with hospitalized decompensated cirrhotic patients. Nutrition status was assessed by PA, bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA), and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) within 72 hours of hospital admission. The best PA cutoff point for malnutrition diagnosis was determined by ROC curve analysis, considering the SGA as the reference standard. Predictors of 6-month mortality were identified using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for Child-Pugh and MELD scores, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Results: This study included 97 patients, 63% male (n = 61), with a mean age of 60.1 ± 10.3 years. The median follow-up time of patients was 11.2 months (IQR, 2.4-21). Overall mortality was 58.8% (n = 57) and 6-month mortality was 35.1% (n = 34). Nutrition assessment according to BIVA indicated a risk for cachexia and normal hydration. Patients with values of PA ≤5.52°were considered malnourished. Malnourished patients according to PA (58.8%, n = 57) had a higher risk of 6-month mortality (HR = 3.44; 95% CI, 1.51-7.84; P = .003), and each increase of 1°in PA values was associated with a reduction of 53% in 6-month mortality risk. Conclusions: The PA is an independent predictor of 6-month mortality in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Therefore, PA may be useful to assess the nutrition status and identify patients at the highest risk of mortality in clinical practice.

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Objectives The objective of this study was to compare the prescribed nutrition with dietary intake in hospitalized patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Methods This is a cross-sectional study performed with hospitalized decompensated cirrhotic patients. The individual nutritional requirements were determined through the registered dietitian and the patient's nutrition prescription was checked from the electronic medical records. A one-day food record was applied to all participants, who received prior guidance on how to properly report their meals. Data are expressed as mean ± SD or median [interquartile range]. The student's t-test was used to compare variables with a parametric distribution and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for those with a non-parametric distribution. P &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results This study included 94 patients with a mean age of 60.3 ± 9.3 years and 64.8% were men. The main etiology of cirrhosis was hepatitis C (27.6%). Ascites was the most common complication, with a prevalence of 73.4%. The mean energy prescribed and the actual mean dietary intake were 2191.25 ± 295.77 kcal/d (31.25 ± 7.7 kcal/kg/d) and 1289.40 ± 509.71 kcal/d (18.61 ± 7.93 kcal/kg/d), respectively. The actual mean dietary intake was 902.68 ± 475.08 kcal/d less than the energy prescribed, p &lt; 0.001. The median protein prescribed and the actual median protein intake were 94 g/d [88.9–110] (1.4 g/kg/d [1.2–1.7]) and 51.44 g/d [34.79–64.84] (0.7 g/ptn/d [0.5–0.9]), respectively. The actual median protein intake was 48.69 g/d [34.07–64.70] less than the protein prescribed, P &lt; 0.001. The mean carbohydrate prescribed and the actual mean carbohydrate intake were 304.77 ± 80.74 g/d and 179.65 ± 73.62 g/d, respectively. The actual mean carbohydrate intake was 124.57 ± 96.82 less than the carbohydrate prescribed, P &lt; 0.001. Conclusions The results of this study demonstrate that patients with decompensated cirrhosis have inadequate food intake. Encourage eating and monitoring of the daily food intake should be part of the management of these patients and occur throughout hospitalization. Funding Sources This study was supported by a CAPES and FIPE/HCPA scholarship. The sources of funding were not involved in study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data.

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