Nutritional status in alcoholics with and without liver disease.

Nutritional status, dietary calories, dietary protein, quantity of ethanol (ET), and severity of liver disease were tested in 62 alcoholics with liver disease (ALC LD). Twenty alcoholics without liver disease (ALC) and 20 abstinents (ABS) were also examined. Despite adequate protein intake ALC LD and ALC had significantly lower body weights, triceps skinfolds, and arm muscle circumferences than ABS. Poorer nutritional status in abusers is probably related to toxic effect of ET. ALC LD compared with ALC had no difference in ET (2.05 +/- 0.15 and 1.80 +/- 0.22 g/kg/day, respectively), in weight, triceps skinfold and the arm muscle circumference. ALC LD consumed fewer dietary calories, less protein (covering more of total calories with ET) and had a lower serum albumin. Decreased serum albumin in ALC LD was related to liver disease rather than to malnutrition: it inversely correlated with bilirubin but not with dietary protein. In ALC LD there was no correlation between ET, calories, or protein in the diet and severity of liver disease. The concept that ALC Ld is related to ET dose and/or malnutrition thus could not be confirmed. Other predisposing factors may be instrumental in the pathogenesis of ALC LD.