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 47 years. 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 (