Relationships between blood levels of fat soluble vitamins and disease etiology and severity in adults awaiting liver transplantation

Background and Aims: Although malnutrition is common in liver disease, there are limited data on fat soluble vitamins in various diseases. The aims of this study were to: (i) determine fat soluble vitamin levels in patients assessed for liver transplantation; (ii) compare levels between different disease etiologies (hepatocellular and cholestatic) and between subgroups of hepatocellular disease; and (iii) assess the multivariate contribution to vitamin levels of etiology and various indicators of disease severity. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 107 inpatients awaiting liver transplantation, mean age 47years. Biochemical parameters included plasma retinol, 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, and vitamin E. Biochemical (albumin, bilirubin and zinc) and clinical indicators (Child-Pugh and Model of End Stage Liver Disease [MELD] scores) of disease severity were determined. Results: Deficiencies of retinol