Study Reveals the Impact of Protein Intake on Liver Cirrhosis Patients
Liver cirrhosis, a condition characterized by the hardening of the liver surface due to inflammation, afflicts millions of individuals worldwide. Recent research conducted by experts from Tehran Medical University in Iran sheds light on the potential influence of protein intake on the mortality rate of cirrhosis patients.
Published in the renowned international journal BMJ Department of Gastroenterology, the study followed 121 patients diagnosed with cirrhosis for at least six months. Over a span of 48 months, the participants’ dietary habits were monitored through a comprehensive 168-item food frequency questionnaire.
The findings revealed that the type of protein ingested played a crucial role in determining mortality risk. Animal protein consumption amplified the risk fourfold, while dairy and vegetable protein intake was associated with significantly lower mortality rates.
Interestingly, even when adjusting for confounding factors, the group with the lowest dietary protein intake exhibited a 62% lower risk of death compared to those with the highest intake. Specifically, individuals consuming higher amounts of animal protein faced a maximum 3.8 times greater risk of mortality.
Moreover, elevated animal protein intake demonstrated a strong association with higher mortality risk in patients with advanced disease severity (MELD score ≥11).
Upon analysis, the researchers speculate that the differential effects of protein types account for these findings. Plant proteins, for example, have been linked to improved blood pressure, lipid profile, and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels, ultimately boosting clinical outcomes.
The implications of this study are profound, emphasizing the importance of protein sources for individuals battling cirrhosis. It is crucial for patients and healthcare professionals to consider and address dietary protein intake as a potential risk factor in liver cirrhosis management.
Studies have shown that patients with cirrhosis of the liver should pay attention to their protein intake. Eating animal protein increased the highest risk of death fourfold compared to dairy or vegetable protein intake.
The results of a cohort study on dietary protein intake and mortality in liver cirrhosis patients conducted by researchers including Ghazal Daftari from Tehran Medical University in Iran were published on the 2nd in the 23rd volume of the international journal BMJ Department of Gastroenterology (doi: 10.1186/s12876-023 -02832-1).
Cirrhosis of the liver, also known as hepatic fibrosis, is caused by the hepatitis virus or alcohol consumption and causes inflammation of the liver, which causes the surface of the liver to harden.
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Approximately 1 million deaths worldwide are reported annually due to cirrhosis, and etiological factors of liver cirrhosis include infection, hepatitis B and C, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), metabolic syndrome, and alcohol .
Given that diet may have a beneficial effect on changes in cirrhosis status, the researchers set out to determine whether the type of protein ingested had a potential effect on mortality.
The research team followed 121 patients with cirrhosis who had been diagnosed with cirrhosis for at least 6 months using a 168-item food frequency questionnaire for 48 months.
Dietary protein was classified into dairy, vegetable and animal protein, and Cox proportional hazards analysis was applied to estimate multivariate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
As a result of the analysis after adjusting for confounding factors, the group with the lowest dietary protein intake had a 62% lower risk of death compared to the group with the highest intake (HR 0.38).
A similar effect was seen when protein was consumed from dairy products, with a maximum of 3.8 times greater risk of death (HR 3.8) in the group with a high intake of animal protein.
On the other hand, a high intake of vegetable protein did not show a significant association with the risk of death.
In patients with higher disease severity (MELD score ≥11), higher animal protein intake was significantly associated with higher risk of death (HR 1.9).
The reason for such an effect is the difference in effect depending on the type of protein.
The researchers believe that the ability of plant protein to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure, improve lipoprotein and lipid profile, and reduce insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) may have been the difference in clinical effect.
“A comprehensive assessment of the association between dietary protein intake and cirrhosis-related mortality found that a higher intake of milk protein and a lower intake of animal protein were associated with a lower risk of death in patients with cirrhosis,” the researchers said. . This underlines the importance of protein sources,” he concluded.
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