ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIONAL-STATUS OF POSTOPERATIVE-PATIENTS WITH BILIARY ATRESIA

Some patients of biliary atresia (BA) suffer from chronic hepatic dysf unction and/or persistent jaundice. The adverse effects of chronic liv er disease on nutrition and growth should be considered on BA patients . We studied 45 BA patients ranging in age from 0.5 to 38 years and di vided them into 2 groups. Group A contains the patients whose total bi lirubin greater than or equal to 2 mg/100 ml, and Group B contains the patients whose total bilirubin < 2 mg/100 ml. We measured height, wei ght, triceps skin fold (TSF), midarm circumference (MBC) and midarm mu scle area (MAMA). Visceral protein kinetics was evaluated on the basis of serum albumin and prealbumin levels. Caloric and protein intake wa s calculated by collecting intake data for 3 days. The results of this study were; 1) The mean TSF in Group B (47th percentile) was not sign ificantly different from that in Group B (53th percentile). 2) The mea n MAMA was significantly lower (p < 0.01) in Group A (16.4th percentil e) than in Group B (36.7th percentile) 3) The prealbumin level was sig nificantly lower (p < 0.001) in Group A (mean 9.9 mg/100 ml) than in G roup B (mean 18.8 mg/100 ml). The authors conclude that the evaluation of MAMA and prealbumin were very useful to characterize the low metab olic status of protein in the damaged liver. And repeated nutritional assessment was necessary to evaluate liver function and provide adequa te nutrition in BE patients.