EPIDEMIOLOGY OF LIVER-CIRRHOSIS AT THE HO SPITAL-CIVIL-DE-GUADALAJARA

Objective. A prospective study of the demographic and epidemiologic ch aracteristics of patients with liver cirrhosis at the Hospital Civil d e Guadalajara within a period of one year. Material and methods. A tot al of 157 patients (48 women, and 109 men) from the Departments of Int ernal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Liver Clinic were studied. Diagno sis of liver cirrhosis had been previously established based on clinic al, biochemical or histopathological information. Additionally, a ques tionnaire specialized on liver diseases was applied to all patients. R esults. Alcoholism was the main cause for cirrhosis (38% in women and 95% in men) followed by viral etiology. The alcoholic beverages consum ed with greater frequency were tequila and 96 degrees G.L., alcohol. W omen were in the Child-Pugh's ''B'' class while men were in class ''C' '. Complications were mostly gastrointestinal bleeding, ascitis and he patic encephalopathy. Differences between sexes were observed for vari ous characteristics. Conclusions. Alcoholism was by far the most frequ ent cause of liver cirrhosis,The second cause, in women, was of viral origin (16.7%). A national committee of vigilance of liver diseases is proposed to generate more complete and detailed information on the ep idemiology of liver cirrhosis.