Adherence to Oral Nutritional Supplements After Being Discharged from the Hospital is Low but Improves Outcome in Patients with Advanced Chronic Liver Disease

PURPOSE: Patients with advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) often have a poor nutritional status. In the management, current guidelines recommend dietary counseling and oral nutritional supplements (ONS). Nutritional goals and adherence to ONS are difficult to achieve while studies addressing adherence are scarce. We aimed to evaluate adherence to ONS, the associated factors, and its impact on outcome among ALCD patients who are discharged from the hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified consecutive hospitalized patients with ACLD from the cirrhosis registry and ONS prescription at discharge. Baseline demographics, anthropometrics, hand-grip strength (HGS), nutritional, and laboratory parameters were recorded. Adherence was assessed at 30, 90, and 180 days, but not in patients who did not survive or in those who underwent liver transplantation (LT) before the time-point. RESULTS: From the registry containing 1004 patients, we included 450 cases, the median age was 56.3 (IQR 47–62), 60% were males, 63.8% had alcoholic etiology, and the median model for end-stage liver disease score (MELD) was 16 (11–21). During follow-up, 13.6%, 23.6%, and 31.1% of patients have died within 30, 90, and 180 days, respectively, and 21 underwent LT. Adherence to ONS in surviving patients was observed in 46%, 26.1%, and 16.9% within 30, 90, and 180 days, respectively. Baseline refractory ascites (HR=0.43, 0.24–0.76), HGS (HR=1.03, 1.01–1.06), and mid-arm circumference (HR=0.93, 0.88–0.99) were independently associated with 30-day adherence. Among patients who survived beyond 30 days, adherents for >30 days had improved synthetic liver function, HGS, a higher probability of LT (HR=1.7, 1.03–2.8) and lower risk of death (HR=0.65, 0.45–0.89), particularly those with MELD>16 (OR=0.55, 0.36–0.85) and low HGS (OR=0.61, 0.39–0.93). CONCLUSION: In ACLD patients after discharge, adherence to ONS steeply declined and was associated with baseline refractory ascites and low muscle strength. Adherence to ONS also improved liver function, muscle strength, and survival.