Efecto del consumo de alcohol al diagnóstico en la sobrevida de pacientes con cirrosis hepática en un hospital universitario de la ciudad de Medellín / Effect of alcohol consumption on diagnosis of liver cirrhosis patients' survival at a University Hospital in Medellín

RESUMEN

Resumen El consumo de alcohol es un conocido factor de riesgo para muerte prematura, morbilidad y discapacidad a nivel mundial. Los registros de la mortalidad que se asocian con el consumo de alcohol están fraccionados. El objetivo de este estudio fue escribir la mortalidad relacionada con la ingesta de alcohol en pacientes con cirrosis atendidos en un hospital universitario de la ciudad de Medellín. Materiales y métodos: se incluyeron 163 pacientes con diagnóstico de cirrosis, evaluados en la consulta externa de hepatología de un hospital de referencia en la ciudad de Medellín con 277 camas y seguimiento hasta el 2016. Se midieron variables sociodemográficas, paraclínicas y clínicas. Se consideró el consumo de alcohol al inicio del seguimiento. Se describió la supervivencia y las complicaciones asociadas con la cirrosis según el estado de consumidores vs. no consumidores de alcohol. Resultados: se siguieron 163 pacientes hasta diciembre del 2016, encontrando una mortalidad en el 51% en consumidores de alcohol vs. 39% en no consumidores (P = 0,19). Las complicaciones de la cirrosis en consumidores de alcohol fueron ascitis en 68% vs. 43% (P = 0,01) en el grupo sin consumo de alcohol, encefalopatía 40,6% vs. 13,5% (P = 0,00) y carcinoma hepatocelular (HCC) en 29% vs. 17% (P = 0,08). En el análisis por subgrupos, los pacientes con hepatitis C con consumo de alcohol tuvieron una mortalidad más alta comparado con los pacientes que no consumieron alcohol (OR 33, IC 95% 1,06 a 1023). Conclusiones: a pesar que el consumo de alcohol no se relaciona con aumento de la mortalidad en pacientes con cirrosis en este estudio, sí se observa incremento de esta en ciertas poblaciones, como en el subgrupo de pacientes con hepatitis C.

ABSTRACT

Abstract Worldwide, alcohol consumption is a well-known risk factor for premature death, morbidity and disability. Records of mortality associated with alcohol consumption are not centralized. The aim of this study was to record the mortality rate associated with alcohol intake in patients with cirrhosis who were treated at a university hospital in the city of Medellin. Materials and methods: We included 163 patients who had been diagnosed with cirrhosis in the outpatient hepatology clinic of a 277 bed referral hospital in Medellín. Patients were monitored until 2016. Sociodemographic, paraclinical and clinical variables were measured. Alcohol consumption was considered at the beginning of the follow-up. Survival and complications associated with cirrhosis were described and recorded for patients who consumed alcohol as well as for those who did not, and then the two groups were compared. Results: One hundred sixty-three patients were followed until December 2016. The mortality rate among those who consumed alcohol was 51% while it was only 39% for those who did not consume alcohol (P = 0.19). Comparison of complications of cirrhosis showed that 68% of alcohol users developed ascites vs. 43% of non-consumers (P = 0.01); 40.6% of alcohol users developed encephalopathy vs. 13.5% of non-consumers (P = 0.00); and 29% of alcohol users developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) vs. 17% of non-consumers (P = 0.08). In the subgroup analysis, patients with hepatitis C who consumed alcohol had a higher mortality rate than patients who did not consume alcohol (OR 33, 95% CI 1.06 to 1023). Conclusions: Although alcohol consumption was not related to increased mortality among patients with cirrhosis in this study, increased mortality was observed in the subgroup of patients with hepatitis C.