Investigation of nutritional status, taste-smell functions, and hedonic pleasure of recipients after liver transplantation

TL;DR

This study found that many liver transplant recipients experience malnutrition and taste-smell issues, which improve over time after the transplant.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the relationship between post-transplant duration and nutritional and sensory changes in liver transplant recipients.

Findings

Over 60% of liver transplant recipients were moderately malnourished.

Severe hyposmia and hypogeusia were common, affecting 62.9% and 74.2% respectively.

Malnutrition and sensory issues decreased as time after transplant increased.

Abstract

Taste and smell disorders have the potential to be associated with malnutrition and a loss of hedonic pleasure in liver transplantation recipients. Information regarding the deterioration of nutritional status in individuals with chronic liver disease is widely known, but changes following liver transplantation need to be investigated.

This study aimed to investigate the nutritional status, taste and smell functions, and hedonic pleasure of liver transplant recipients.

The data for this descriptive and cross-sectional study were collected by researchers at an organ transplant hospital. The sample group consisted of n = 326 liver transplant recipients who met the selection criteria. The data collection tools used in this study were a personal information form, the Controlling Nutritional Status Tool (CONUT), the Complete Mouth Test (CMT), the Connecticut Olfactory Recognition Test (CCCRC), the Food Cravings Questionnaire (FCQ), and the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Information about the data collection tools is provided below. Descriptive tests and parametric tests were used in data analysis.

In this study, 62.9% of liver transplant recipients were moderately malnourished, 62.9% had severe hyposmia, and 74.2% had hypogeusia. There was an inverse correlation between the duration post-transplant and the severity of malnutrition, taste and smell disorders, and a direct correlation with perceived hedonic pleasure (p < 0.05). Accordingly, there was a statistically significant negative and weak correlation between FCQ and CONUT mean scores (r = −0.154, p = 0.005). There was a statistically significant negative and weak correlation between CMT mean scores and CONUT (r = −0.142, p = 0.011). There was a statistically significant negative and moderate correlation between the CCCRC score average and age (r = −0.432, p = 0.000) and a statistically significant negative and weak correlation between the CCCRC score average and CONUT (r = −0.158, p = 0.004).

This study revealed that more than half of liver transplant recipients were moderately malnourished, with a similar proportion having severe hyposmia, and three-quarters had hypogeusia. The severity of malnutrition, along with taste and smell disorders, decreased with increasing post-transplant duration. Smell deficits increased with age. Strategies should be developed to improve malnutrition, taste, and smell disorders in liver transplant recipients, particularly the elderly and those in the early post-transplant period.

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