Alcoholic Cirrhosis-related Death Increased Dramatically Over Two Decades

Deaths associated with alcoholic cirrhosis have tripled in the last 20 years, according to a recent study.

Using data from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the researchers compared trends in mortality related to cirrhosis in the United States from 1999 to 2019 in 10-year age groups. Included were individuals aged 25 years to 85 years or older. Mortality rate and mortality rate ratios (MRRs) were calculated per 100,000 people.

In 180,408,769 patients included from 1999, the researchers found 6007 deaths from alcoholic cirrhosis, with a mortality rate of 3.3 per 100,000 persons. In 2019, that number increased to 23,780 deaths among 224,981,167 individuals, yielding a mortality rate of 10.6 per 100,000 persons. An overall MRR of 3.2 (P < .001) was reported.

“These alarming trends in mortality from alcoholic cirrhosis in the United States contribute to the formulation of many hypotheses,” the researchers concluded. “Clinical and public health efforts are necessary to curb the epidemics of heavy alcohol consumption and overweight and obesity in the United States that may be contributing to these alarming trends.”

—Jessica Ganga

Reference:

Termeie O, Fiedler L, Martinez L, et al. Alarming trends: mortality from alcoholic cirrhosis in the United States. Am J Med. Published online May 27, 2022. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2022.05.015