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Abstract Details
Clinical determinants of hospital mortality in liver failure: a comprehensive analysis of 62,717 patients
Gastroenterol. 2023 Mar 27. doi: 10.1055/a-2016-9061. Online ahead of print.
1Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
2Paracelsus Medical University, Klinikum Nürnberg, Nürnberg, Germany.
3Department of Surgery (A), University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
4Department of Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
#Contributed equally.
Abstract
Background: Liver failure (LF) is characterised by a loss of the synthetic and metabolic liver function and is associated with a high mortality. Large-scale data on recent developments and hospital mortality of LF in Germany are missing. A systematic analysis and careful interpretation of these datasets could help to optimise outcomes of LF.
Methods: We used standardised hospital discharge data of the Federal Statistical Office to evaluate current trends, hospital mortality and factors associated with an unfavourable course of LF in Germany between 2010 and 2019.
Results: A total of 62,717 hospitalised LF cases were identified. Annual LF frequency decreased from 6716 (2010) to 5855 (2019) cases and was higher among males (60.51%). Hospital mortality was 38.08% and significantly declined over the observation period. Mortality significantly correlated with patients' age and was highest among individuals with (sub)acute LF (47.5%). Multivariate regression analyses revealed pulmonary (ORARDS: 2.76, ORmechanicalventilation: 6.46) and renal complications (ORacutekidney failure: 2.04, ORhepatorenalsyndrome: 2.92) and sepsis (OR: 1.92) as factors for increased mortality. Liver transplantation reduced mortality in patients with (sub)acute LF. Hospital mortality significantly decreased with the annual LF case volume and ranged from 47.46% to 29.87% in low- or high-case-volume hospitals, respectively.
Conclusions: Although incidence rates and hospital mortality of LF in Germany have constantly decreased, hospital mortality has remained at a very high level. We identified a number of variables associated with increased mortality that could help to improve framework conditions for the treatment of LF in the future.