Rising Chronic Liver Disease-Related Mortality in the United States, 2000-2010

Abstract

 

introduction: In order to provide an updated, comprehensive estimate of chronic liver disease Mortality for the United States population, we examined all chronic liver disease- related deaths from 2000-2010 using national multiple-cause-of-death (MCD) data. 

 

methods: Chronic liver disease-related deaths were identified from 2000-2010 using the MCD dataset. Using ICD-10 classification, decedents of interest were identified if they were identified had any of the following conditions: alcoholic liver disease, toxic liver disease, hepatic failure – not elsewhere classified, chronic hepatitis – not elsewhere classified, fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver, autoimmune hepatitis, fatty liver, and chronic viral hepatitis (B and C). Analyses were performed to calculate crude and age-adjusted mortality rates and mortality trends over time. Analyses to describe associations between chronic liver disease and other comorbid conditions that contributed are planned

results: A total of 583,911 chronic liver disease-related deaths were identified for the study period. Of these, approximately 62% (n=364,632) were underlying cases. Approximately two-thirds of the cases were male (66%, n=383,188) and almost three-quarters where white (72%, n=421,523). Native Americans and Hispanics had the highest age-adjusted mortality rates (44.4 and 27.2 per 100,000 population, respectively). Poison regression analysis indicated an overall 2.1% increase in death rates for the period (95% CI 2.1-2.2; p<0.0001). A majority of decedents (60%) were identified as having fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver. Alcoholic liver disease (31%) and viral hepatitis (17%) were also commonly reported as a contributing cause of death.  

discussion:  Chronic liver disease is among of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. It’s continues to rise.