Enteral nutrition and liver function test abnormalities

Abstract

There have been reports of liver enzyme abnormalities among enterally fed patients. The aim of this study was to determine the pattern of liver function tests (LFTs) in patients on enteral nutrition support receiving a minimum of 1500 kcal/day for at least two weeks. In addition, factors which might be responsible for such changes were defined. Patients with normal LFTs at the start of the study period had liver function tests repeated weekly during nutritional support. Body weight, arm muscle circumference, triceps skinfold and serum albumin were measured on entry to the study.Nineteen patients fulfilled the study entry criteria. Eleven patients (Group 1) developed abnormal LFTs; in the remaining eight patients LFTs remained normal (Group 2). There was no significant difference between the two groups at the start of enteral feeding with respect to anthropometric measurements or serum albumin. Six of the 11 patients in Group 1 developed septic complications. No patient in Group 2 had clinical or bacterial evidence of infection during nutritional support.Abnormalities in LFTs are more likely to be due to associated clinical complications than the enteral nutritional support alone.