NITROGEN BALANCE STUDIES IN LAENNEC'S CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER

Abstract
N balance studies were carried out on 8 cases of Laennec''s cirrhosis of the liver while under treatment with intensive combined medical therapy for periods of from 3 mos. to 2 yrs. 7 of the 8 cases showed clinical and laboratory evidence of improvement. The case that was a clinical failure persisted in the use of alcohol and in failing to follow treatment. All of the patients went into positive N balance when placed on suitable therapy and diet. Only 1 of the cases under treatment for a period of almost 2 yrs. reached apparent N equilibrium; the others, after months of therapy, still showed evidence of storing N. This suggests that, even with good medical management and improvement, there is a narrow margin of nutritional safety and the cirrhotic has little to fall back on because of the chronic protein depletion.

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