Demographic Profile and Clinical Spectrum of Alcoholic Liver Disease among Males in Pakistan

Abstract

Introduction: Alcohol is the most common substance abused in western world. Males tend to have more severe liver disease because of heavy and regular drinking. Methods: Adult patients, 16 years of age and older, diagnosed with ALD within 1 year, were included in the study. Liver disease from other causes was excluded. Demographic profiles, clinical features, laboratory and endoscopic findings of the patients, Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP), Model End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) were recorded. Results: A total of 104 patients with ALD who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the patients enrolled in the study was 49.2 years (SD = 13.1). Most of the patients were in the 30-65 age group. The four most common clinical symptoms in patients were abdominal distension (n = 89, 85.6%), bilateral lower limb edema (n = 78, 75%), jaundice (n = 39, 37.5%) and anorexia (n = 41, 39.4%). Of 104 patients, 96 (92.3%) had cirrhosis, 9 (8.7%) had fatty liver and alcoholic hepatitis. Of 94 patients with ALD, 49(52.1%) had CTP grade C and 83 (88.3%) had MELD score ≥ 16. Conclusions: ALD was mainly observed in young patients. The most common clinical symptoms were abdominal distension, bilateral oedema of the lower limbs, jaundice and anorexia. Among patients with cirrhosis of the liver, the majority of patients were CTP class C and obtained a MELD score ≥16. Keywords: Alcoholic liver disease, clinical profile, demographic profile