PROGNOSIS AND LIFE EXPECTANCY IN CHRONIC LIVER-DISEASE

The aim of the present study was to define prognosis and life expectan cy in patients with chronic liver disease of different etiologies and to relate them to an age- and sex-matched normal population. After a f ollow-up of 15 years, life expectancy of 620 patients with chronic liv er disease was retrospectively calculated and compared with an age- an d sex-matched normal. population. Among patients with cirrhosis, progn osis was dependent upon the Child classification (P = 0.001). Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and fatty liver disease were younger (P = 0. 01) and had a lower life expectancy than patients with other causes of chronic liver disease (P = 0.004). Patients with hepatitis B and hepa titis C cirrhosis showed a comparable prognosis and a significantly lo wer life expectancy than the age- and sex-matched population. Cryptoge nic and autoimmune liver diseases showed a comparable life expectancy but a significantly shorter life expectancy than the normal population . In patients with alpha(1)-antitrypsin deficiency-associated cirrhosi s, a high viral coinfection rate was found (P = 0.01). For patients wi th noncirrhotic hemochromatosis, prognosis was poorer than that for th e age- and sex-matched population. In patients with asymptomatic prima ry biliary cirrhosis, chronic persistent hepatitis B, and alpha(1)-ant itrypsin deficiency without cirrhosis, life expectancy was equal to th at of the normal population. Prognosis and life expectancy in chronic liver disease depend on stage, cause, and symptoms of chronic liver di sease; age; and possibilities of treatment. In patients with hereditar y liver disease, additional viral infection or alcohol abuse lead to a significant deterioration of life expectancy. Patients with alcoholic chronic liver disease have the poorest prognosis.