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 CLD mortality rates in both men and women.
• There has been an almost five fold increase in CLD mortality rates in those aged between 30-39 yrs of age.
• In the last twenty years, there was a four fold increase in CLD acute hospital discharge rates in men and threefold increase in discharge rates among women.
• Among women the largest increase in CLD acute hospital discharge rates was in the 25-29 age group; from 1984-88 to 2004-2008, there was a 7 fold increase in CLD acute hospital discharge rates.
• Men living in the most deprived areas are 11 times more likely to die from CLD and for women six 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.

 

 

Page update: The last update of this page was completed in February 2010. The next review is due to be carried out by end February 2011.