Chronic liver disease: key points

• There are a variety of risk factors and diseases that cause chronic liver disease (CLD). The three commonest risk factors for CLD are excessive alcohol consumption; blood borne viruses, in particular Hepatitis B and C, and obesity.
• From 1993 to 2003, there was a sharp increase in chronic liver disease (CLD) mortality rates (age-standardised rates) in both men and women. Since then there has been a general decline in the mortality rates for both sexes, however, in 2010 there has been a slight increase again for males.
• Between 2000-05 and 2006-10, age-specific CLD mortality rates have declined in most age groups. The exceptions are men aged 35-39 years, men aged 85 years and over, all age groups for women aged
• Between 1989 and 2010, there has been an approximate three-fold increase in chronic liver disease patient discharge rates in men, and a two-fold increase in rates among women.
• Men living in the most deprived areas are 12 times more likely to die from CLD and for women seven times more likely, than those living in least deprived areas.
• The CLD mortality rate in Scotland has been increasing steadily over the last 30 yrs which is in contrast to the majority of European countries where CLD death rates have been decreasing.