The Benefit of Supplemental Nutrition Education for Severely Malnourished Patients Awaiting Liver Transplant.

INTRODUCTION

Nutritional interventions improve patient outcomes and reduce mortality in patients with cirrhosis by reducing infection risk, ascites, length of stay in hospital and intensive care unit, and mortality. Follow-up phone calls have been found to be useful in improving patient adherence to therapy.

PROBLEM

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to determine whether supplemental nutrition education would improve nutrition and outcomes among patients with cirrhosis who are undergoing a liver transplant evaluation. In addition, we sought to measure patient adherence with nutritional recommendations and whether patients perceived this additional education improved their nutrition status.

METHODS

The Plan-Do-Study-Ask methodology was used.

PROCESSES

Addressed 8 patients were enrolled to participate in the supplemental nutrition education, after which they received 3 follow-up phone calls. A retrospective review of data from 10 patients meeting project inclusion criteria were identified by the nutrition specialist and were used as a comparison group. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics; comparing data from before and after implementation of the supplemental nutrition education was done.

OUTCOMES

At the end of the 8-week project period, 4 (66.7%) patients reported weight loss since the time of enrollment (nutrition education class), and the median patient-generated subjective global assessment score increased by 4 points, rather than decreasing as expected. However, all patients reported they believed the phone calls improved their nutrition status.

IMPLICATIONS

With a multidisciplinary approach, this additional patient education may improve patient care and outcomes.