THE CORRELATION BETWEEN NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND MUSCLE STRENGTH, AND DYNAMOMETRY IN PATIENTS WITH LIVER CIRRHOSIS IN IRAQ

Liver cirrhosis is characterised by progressive liver tissue destruction, resulting in impaired liver function and associated complications. It can substantially affect the nutritional status and muscle strength of affected individuals. This research aimed to explore the Correlation between nutritional status and muscle strength in liver cirrhosis patients and their link to disease severity and subsequent complications. 150 hospitalised patients with diagnosed liver cirrhosis were assessed for nutritional evaluation, Dynamometry, Child-Pugh score and complications between January 2019 and March 2022. Data analysis was facilitated using STATA software. Out of the 150 participants, the median age was 53. Males made up 75.2% of the group. The primary causes of liver cirrhosis were attributed to alcohol consumption (56.6%) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (12.4%). Patients were primarily categorised as Child-Pugh class B (50.4%) or class C (38%). 42% were malnourished. In comparison, 37.2% demonstrated reduced muscle strength via Dynamometry. The median grip strength was recorded at 26.3 kg. Females exhibited significantly diminished grip strengths (p < 0.001). Both nutritional status and grip strength bore significant associations with the Child-Pugh score, with p-values of 0.048 and 0.042, respectively. Moreover, a notable correlation existed between nutritional status and grip strength (p < 0.001). The study underscores the significance of evaluating nutritional status and muscle strength in patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.