Original Research Article
Year: 2014 | Month: February | Volume: 4 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 21-25
A Clinico-Epidemiological Profile of Liver Cirrhosis Patients - A Hospital Based Study
Ravi B. Nagarajaiah
Associate Professor, Dept. of Medicine, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, B.G. Nagara, Bangalore.
Corresponding Author: Ravi B. Nagarajaiah
ABSTRACT
Background: Viral hepatitis leading to end stage liver disease like cirrhosis is very common in India. Hepatitis B virus infection is well known and is being routinely treated. However, screening for Hepatitis C virus is not done commonly and is hence under diagnosed. Recent studies have shown that sero-prevalence of HCV in cirrhosis is high, ranging from 9-22% in different hospital based studies. Hence this study was undertaken to determine the sero-prevalence of HCV and HBV in cirrhosis of liver.
Objectives: 1) To determine the prevalence of hepatitis B and C infection in patients presenting with liver cirrhosis. 2) To study the epidemiological profile of these hepatitis B and C positive patients.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among all patients of cirrhosis of liver with ascites admitted to the study hospital for a period of one year. A detailed history, clinical examination, abdominal ultrasound, LFT and ascetic fluid analysis were employed. The data was analysed with Microsoft excel.
Results: The study showed that 51% of the study subjects were males and 15% females. The major etiological background for cirrhosis was alcohol consumption followed by hepatitis B which accounted for 18.8% of liver cirrhosis and hepatitis C accounted for 6.06% of cirrhosis. In the clinical presentations distention of the abdomen and the jaundice was the commonest presenting complaint.
Key words: Hepatitis B, C, liver cirrhosis.