266160 Recent trends and medical care utilization of alcoholic vs. non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis in Taiwan: A population-based study

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Yu-Tseng Chu, MS , Institute of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Long-Sheng Chen, PhD , Office for HealthCare Quality Measurement, Department of Health, Taipei, Taiwan, Taipei, Taiwan
I-Ming Parng, MS , Office for HealthCare Quality Measurement, Department of Health, Taipei, Taiwan, Taipei, Taiwan
Pei-Jer Chen, MD, PhD , Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan
Chun-Jen Liu, MD, PhD , Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan
Raymond Kuo, PhD , Center of Comparative Effectiveness Research, National Center of Excellence for Clinical Trial and Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan
Yi-Chun Yeh, MS , Graduate Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
Mei-Shu Lai, MD, PhD , Graduate Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
Background: Liver cirrhosis is a public health problem. Alcohol is the major cause in the U.S. and Europe. The incidence and prevalence of alcoholic cirrhosis has been on the rise in several countries recently. The prevalence of cirrhosis is high in most Asian and African countries because chronic viral hepatitis is more frequent. However, studies on the trend of cirrhosis and their different etiologies remain limited.

Objective: Identify the trend of the incidence and prevalence of liver cirrhosis, and compare these trends between alcoholic and non-alcoholic cirrhosis. The medical care utilization associated with liver cirrhosis is also explored.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study in Taiwan using the National Health Insurance claims data and death certification data (2000-2009). Study populations were patients with diagnosis of alcoholic (ICD-9-CM: 571.2) or non-alcoholic (571.5, 571.6) cirrhosis.

Results: Alcoholic liver cirrhosis occurs at a younger age than non-alcoholic cirrhosis. Between 2001 and 2009, the overall standardized incidence rates of liver cirrhosis showed a significant downward trend. Non-alcoholic cirrhosis had decreased substantially, although alcoholic cirrhosis had not. The prevalence rates of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cirrhosis had increased. More patients were first diagnosed as having alcoholic liver cirrhosis as a hospital inpatient than as an outpatient.

Conclusion: We should continue to monitor and enhance the control measures of liver cirrhosis, especially those for alcohol-related liver cirrhosis.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Epidemiology
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
1.Identify the trend of the incidence and prevalence of liver cirrhosis 2.Compare the trend between alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis 3.Describe medical care utilization associated with alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis

Keywords: Chronic Diseases, Alcohol

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am responsible for the study design, data analysis, and manuscript writing. Among my scientific interests has been the epidemiology and medical care utilization. I am a PhD student in institute of health policy and management.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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