Cirrhosis comorbidities tied to worse outcomes

Multiple comorbidities appear to worsen mortality outcomes in patients with cirrhosis: Those with compensated cirrhosis and three comorbid conditions have a mortality rate similar to patients with decompensated cirrhosis, according to a new analysis of a population-based cohort in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

“I think it’s a pretty strong message that just the presence of these chronic diseases has such a strong effect in the long run. They at least contribute to mortality to some extent. It’s really important to focus on these chronic diseases as targets early during the care that we provide to these to cirrhotic patients to make sure that we control them so that, in the long run, we can decrease the premature death and mortality in these patients,” said Mohammad Amin Fallahzadeh, MD, MPH, who presented the results at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

The study included 35,361 patients with cirrhosis. The mean age of participants was 59.5 years, 41.8% were female, 29.7% were non-White, and 17.5% were Hispanic. Comorbidities were common, occurring in about 25% of patients. Forty-five percent of comorbidities were cardiovascular diseases (CVD); 28.9% of subjects had one comorbidity, 17.5% had two comorbidities, and 12.6% had three comorbidities.

A Kaplan-Meier curve showed that patients with compensated cirrhosis and no comorbidities had the highest survival over time, while decompensated patients with comorbidities had the lowest survival (P = .01). The curve showed similar survival between patients with compensated cirrhosis and three comorbidities and decompensated patients with no comorbidities.

The risk of death increased with one comorbidity (hazard ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 2.23-2.8), two comorbidities (HR, 3.27; 95% CI, 2.9-3.69), and three comorbidities (HR, 4.52; 95% CI, 3.99-5.12).

Mortality increased with the number of comorbidities in both compensated and decompensated patients; patients with hepatitis C, alcoholic liver disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; by race (White, Black, and other); and in different age groups. A stronger effect of comorbidities was seen in compensated patients (HR, 6.4 vs. 4.1), female patients (HR, 5.2 vs. 4.1), and in patients older than age 65 years (HR, 7.2 vs. 3.7 in those aged 45-64 years and 5.0 in those younger than age 45 years).

The researchers also found an apparent synergistic effect of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and CVD. Both conditions were associated with increased risk on their own, but when a patient had both CVD and CKD, mortality was higher than just the added risk of the two conditions.

The findings confirm that patients with cirrhosis and comorbidities seem to have worse quality of life and higher mortality. “I didn’t expect that it would have such a major effect, to make a compensated patient as if they are decompensated, but we definitely see that in our daily practice,” said Dr. Fallahzadeh, who is a 2nd-year internal medicine resident at Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas.

“When a hepatologist or an internist has a visit with a patient who is diagnosed with cirrhosis, they need to screen them for the other chronic diseases like diabetes, CKD, and cardiovascular disease to make sure that if they have any of these conditions, they’ll be under control, or if they need any referral for better management. For example, if they need a nephrology referral, it [should] be done as early as possible so that we can minimize the burden of these diseases in the long run for these patients. And we need to educate the patients as well about controlling these chronic problems,” said Dr. Fallahzadeh.

The findings might make researchers reconsider how to classify compensated and decompensated cirrhosis. “When we talk about decompensated liver disease, we’re talking about variceal hemorrhage, ascites, and encephalopathy. In this case, they’re saying that if you’re compensated and you [have] three of these associated medical conditions, that you could be worse off than decompensated cirrhosis. It’s really challenging the status quo and how we think about these two disease entities. They’re thought of a lot differently in terms of the mortality. That needs to be further elucidated,” said Mayur Brahmania, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Western University, London, Ont., who moderated the session.

A key limitation to the study was that the researchers did not have access to data about medication use, so it could not be determined if comorbidities were being controlled. Body mass index and most lifestyle factors were also uncontrolled.

Dr. Fallahzadeh and Dr. Brahmania have no relevant financial disclosures.

Multiple comorbidities appear to worsen mortality outcomes in patients with cirrhosis: Those with compensated cirrhosis and three comorbid conditions have a mortality rate similar to patients with decompensated cirrhosis, according to a new analysis of a population-based cohort in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

“I think it’s a pretty strong message that just the presence of these chronic diseases has such a strong effect in the long run. They at least contribute to mortality to some extent. It’s really important to focus on these chronic diseases as targets early during the care that we provide to these to cirrhotic patients to make sure that we control them so that, in the long run, we can decrease the premature death and mortality in these patients,” said Mohammad Amin Fallahzadeh, MD, MPH, who presented the results at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

The study included 35,361 patients with cirrhosis. The mean age of participants was 59.5 years, 41.8% were female, 29.7% were non-White, and 17.5% were Hispanic. Comorbidities were common, occurring in about 25% of patients. Forty-five percent of comorbidities were cardiovascular diseases (CVD); 28.9% of subjects had one comorbidity, 17.5% had two comorbidities, and 12.6% had three comorbidities.

A Kaplan-Meier curve showed that patients with compensated cirrhosis and no comorbidities had the highest survival over time, while decompensated patients with comorbidities had the lowest survival (P = .01). The curve showed similar survival between patients with compensated cirrhosis and three comorbidities and decompensated patients with no comorbidities.

The risk of death increased with one comorbidity (hazard ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 2.23-2.8), two comorbidities (HR, 3.27; 95% CI, 2.9-3.69), and three comorbidities (HR, 4.52; 95% CI, 3.99-5.12).

Mortality increased with the number of comorbidities in both compensated and decompensated patients; patients with hepatitis C, alcoholic liver disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; by race (White, Black, and other); and in different age groups. A stronger effect of comorbidities was seen in compensated patients (HR, 6.4 vs. 4.1), female patients (HR, 5.2 vs. 4.1), and in patients older than age 65 years (HR, 7.2 vs. 3.7 in those aged 45-64 years and 5.0 in those younger than age 45 years).

The researchers also found an apparent synergistic effect of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and CVD. Both conditions were associated with increased risk on their own, but when a patient had both CVD and CKD, mortality was higher than just the added risk of the two conditions.

The findings confirm that patients with cirrhosis and comorbidities seem to have worse quality of life and higher mortality. “I didn’t expect that it would have such a major effect, to make a compensated patient as if they are decompensated, but we definitely see that in our daily practice,” said Dr. Fallahzadeh, who is a 2nd-year internal medicine resident at Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas.

“When a hepatologist or an internist has a visit with a patient who is diagnosed with cirrhosis, they need to screen them for the other chronic diseases like diabetes, CKD, and cardiovascular disease to make sure that if they have any of these conditions, they’ll be under control, or if they need any referral for better management. For example, if they need a nephrology referral, it [should] be done as early as possible so that we can minimize the burden of these diseases in the long run for these patients. And we need to educate the patients as well about controlling these chronic problems,” said Dr. Fallahzadeh.

The findings might make researchers reconsider how to classify compensated and decompensated cirrhosis. “When we talk about decompensated liver disease, we’re talking about variceal hemorrhage, ascites, and encephalopathy. In this case, they’re saying that if you’re compensated and you [have] three of these associated medical conditions, that you could be worse off than decompensated cirrhosis. It’s really challenging the status quo and how we think about these two disease entities. They’re thought of a lot differently in terms of the mortality. That needs to be further elucidated,” said Mayur Brahmania, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Western University, London, Ont., who moderated the session.

A key limitation to the study was that the researchers did not have access to data about medication use, so it could not be determined if comorbidities were being controlled. Body mass index and most lifestyle factors were also uncontrolled.

Dr. Fallahzadeh and Dr. Brahmania have no relevant financial disclosures.

Multiple comorbidities appear to worsen mortality outcomes in patients with cirrhosis: Those with compensated cirrhosis and three comorbid conditions have a mortality rate similar to patients with decompensated cirrhosis, according to a new analysis of a population-based cohort in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

“I think it’s a pretty strong message that just the presence of these chronic diseases has such a strong effect in the long run. They at least contribute to mortality to some extent. It’s really important to focus on these chronic diseases as targets early during the care that we provide to these to cirrhotic patients to make sure that we control them so that, in the long run, we can decrease the premature death and mortality in these patients,” said Mohammad Amin Fallahzadeh, MD, MPH, who presented the results at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

The study included 35,361 patients with cirrhosis. The mean age of participants was 59.5 years, 41.8% were female, 29.7% were non-White, and 17.5% were Hispanic. Comorbidities were common, occurring in about 25% of patients. Forty-five percent of comorbidities were cardiovascular diseases (CVD); 28.9% of subjects had one comorbidity, 17.5% had two comorbidities, and 12.6% had three comorbidities.

A Kaplan-Meier curve showed that patients with compensated cirrhosis and no comorbidities had the highest survival over time, while decompensated patients with comorbidities had the lowest survival (P = .01). The curve showed similar survival between patients with compensated cirrhosis and three comorbidities and decompensated patients with no comorbidities.

The risk of death increased with one comorbidity (hazard ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 2.23-2.8), two comorbidities (HR, 3.27; 95% CI, 2.9-3.69), and three comorbidities (HR, 4.52; 95% CI, 3.99-5.12).

Mortality increased with the number of comorbidities in both compensated and decompensated patients; patients with hepatitis C, alcoholic liver disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; by race (White, Black, and other); and in different age groups. A stronger effect of comorbidities was seen in compensated patients (HR, 6.4 vs. 4.1), female patients (HR, 5.2 vs. 4.1), and in patients older than age 65 years (HR, 7.2 vs. 3.7 in those aged 45-64 years and 5.0 in those younger than age 45 years).

The researchers also found an apparent synergistic effect of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and CVD. Both conditions were associated with increased risk on their own, but when a patient had both CVD and CKD, mortality was higher than just the added risk of the two conditions.

The findings confirm that patients with cirrhosis and comorbidities seem to have worse quality of life and higher mortality. “I didn’t expect that it would have such a major effect, to make a compensated patient as if they are decompensated, but we definitely see that in our daily practice,” said Dr. Fallahzadeh, who is a 2nd-year internal medicine resident at Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas.

“When a hepatologist or an internist has a visit with a patient who is diagnosed with cirrhosis, they need to screen them for the other chronic diseases like diabetes, CKD, and cardiovascular disease to make sure that if they have any of these conditions, they’ll be under control, or if they need any referral for better management. For example, if they need a nephrology referral, it [should] be done as early as possible so that we can minimize the burden of these diseases in the long run for these patients. And we need to educate the patients as well about controlling these chronic problems,” said Dr. Fallahzadeh.

The findings might make researchers reconsider how to classify compensated and decompensated cirrhosis. “When we talk about decompensated liver disease, we’re talking about variceal hemorrhage, ascites, and encephalopathy. In this case, they’re saying that if you’re compensated and you [have] three of these associated medical conditions, that you could be worse off than decompensated cirrhosis. It’s really challenging the status quo and how we think about these two disease entities. They’re thought of a lot differently in terms of the mortality. That needs to be further elucidated,” said Mayur Brahmania, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Western University, London, Ont., who moderated the session.

A key limitation to the study was that the researchers did not have access to data about medication use, so it could not be determined if comorbidities were being controlled. Body mass index and most lifestyle factors were also uncontrolled.

Dr. Fallahzadeh and Dr. Brahmania have no relevant financial disclosures.