Chronic liver disease--an increasing problem: a study of hospital admission and mortality rates in England, 1979-2005, with particular reference to alcoholic liver disease.

AIMS: To determine time trends in hospital admissions for chronic liver disease in England between 1989/1990 and 2002/2003, mortality rates in England and Wales between 1979 and 2005, and the influence of alcohol-related disease on these trends. METHODS: Hospital episode statistics for admissions in England were obtained from the Information Center for Health and Social Care and mortality data for England and Wales from the Office for National Statistics. RESULTS: Hospital admission rates for chronic liver disease increased by 71% in males and 43% in females over the study period. This increase was largely due to alcoholic liver disease, admission rates for which more than doubled between 1989/1990 and 2002/2003. While there was a smaller rise for chronic viral hepatitis B and C, admission rates declined for hepatitis A, autoimmune hepatitis, and primary biliary cirrhosis. Mortality rates for chronic liver disease more than doubled between 1979 and 2005. Two thirds of these deaths were attributable to alcohol-related liver disease in 2005. The highest rate of alcoholic liver disease mortality was in the 45-64 age group, and the largest percentage increase between 1979 and 2005 occurred in the 25-34 age group. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital admissions and mortality in England from chronic liver disease are increasing. The underlying reasons are complex, but alcohol-induced liver disease makes a major contribution. There are clear social and health implications if the trend continues and addressing alcohol-related liver disease should be a public health priority.

Patients' expressions of complaints as a predictor of the course of acute hepatitis A.

OBJECTIVE: Physical complaints, emotional states, liver, and immune parameters were investigated as possible indicators of the course of hepatitis A. METHODS: Forty-seven patients with hepatitis A were studied by means of the Giessen-Complaint-Inventory (GBB) and the Berlin Mood Questionnaire (BSF), as well as by taking into account their typical liver parameters and the following immune parameters: alphaInterferon (alphaIFN), soluble Interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), and Immunoglobulin M or G (IgM, IgG). Two hundred twenty-nine medical students and a representative German sample (n = 1557, Braehler et al.) served as controls. RESULTS: We found that the initial degree of change in permeability of the liver cells, complaints about abdominal symptoms, and extent of depressive mood were able to predict the length of hospital stay. Patients with the initial, more pronounced liver damage, as well as patients who articulated less subjective impairment proved to have a longer course of illness. Those patients who needed a significantly longer time for recovery report, at admission, very few complaints-fewer than even the normal population. We were not, however, able to demonstrate a significant difference in the investigated immune parameters. CONCLUSION: A certain denial tendency seems to be harmful with respect to the recovery process and the immunological competence in the course of hepatitis A.

[Peloid application to the area of the adrenal glands projection in the rehabilitation therapy of patient with viral hepatitis A and B]. / Applikatsii peloida na oblast' proektsii nadpochechnikov v reabilitatsionnoi terapii bol'nykh, perenesshikh virusnyi gepatit A i B.

Submitted in the paper are data secured in investigations designed to study efficacies of peloid applications to the area of projection of the adrenal glands in patients with the history of viral hepatits A and B presenting with a high risk of chronization of the illness. The analysis of the therapy effect was performed on the basis of examination of 45 VH reconvalescents with making use of clinical, biochemical and immunological investigational techniques. The findings obtained suggest restoration during the above therapy of the functional state of the liver as well as immunomodulating effect of the method, moderation of autoimmunoaggression, and expediancy of its employment in the rehabilitative period of VH in those patients presenting with signs of disfunction of the immunity system, history of allergoses and presence of concomitant pathology.

[The rehabilitation of patients with a history of viral hepatitis using UHF therapy (460 MHz)]. / Reabilitatsiia bol'nykh, perenesshikh virusnyi gepatit, s primeneniem SVCh-terapii (460 MGts).

In early convalescence after viral hepatitis C the liver region of the patients was exposed to the decimetric waves to prevent transformation of the acute disease into a chronic one. A total of 45 relevant patients were exposed to electromagnetic field of ultrahigh frequency (460 MHz). A positive effect on the disease course and liver function was noted.

[Decimeter-wave physiotherapy in viral hepatitis]. / Detsimetrovaia fizioterapiia pri virusnom gepatite.

Effectiveness was evaluated of magnetotherapy, inductothermy, UNF electric field and electromagnetic waves of decimetric wave band (460 MHz) on the projection of the liver, adrenals and thyroid gland in controlled trials enrolling a total of 835 patients with viral hepatitis (type A, B, associated forms). A conclusion is reached that optimum effectiveness of decimetric field on the projection of the adrenals and thyroid gland can be achieved through the application of minimum power and everyday alternation of exposures. It has been estimated that as many as 69 percent of the patients derive benefit from the above treatment.

[The efficacy of decimeter-wave therapy with exposure of the neuroendocrine organs in the treatment of viral hepatitis]. / Effektivnost' DMV-terapii v lechenii virusnykh gepatitaov s vozdeistviem na neiroéndokrinnye organy.

A controlled trial entered 343 patients with virus hepatitis A, B and associated forms. In addition to standard treatment the patients' adrenals and thyroid were exposed to electromagnetic waves (460 MHz) in alternative daily regimens and under minimal power. As shown by clinical, rheohepatographic, hormonal, immunological and follow-up evidence, positive results were achieved in 69% of the patients.