In patients with type 2 diabetes and HCV cirrhosis, use of metformin is independently associated with reduced incidence of HCC and liver-related death/transplantation.

ABSTRACT

Intra-hospital mortality in cirrhotic patients is variable depending on the studies reported in literature. Several studies have demonstrated independent predictors of mortality. The aim of this work is indeed to identify these predictors. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 1080 cirrhotic patients hospitalized in our department of gastroenterology and hepatology between January 2001 and August 2010. A descriptive study of the study population was performed, and a univariate analysis looking for an association between intra-hospital mortality, and clinical, biological, etiological and socio-demographic characteristics of our patients. Results: The average age of our patients was 54 years, with an equal number of men and women. 41.1% of patients had cirrhosis secondary to hepatitis C and 18.5% had cirrhosis secondary to hepatitis B. 26.1% of our patients were CHILD C. Intra-hospital mortality was 8.7% (97 deaths) with a mean of 23.4 ± 35.8 months. Univariate analysis showed that the intra-hospital mortality was significantly associated with higher age (p = 0.049) as well as the reasons for admissions like hepatic encephalopathy, and hematemesis (p < 0.0001), melena, jaundice and ascites (p = 0.001). Among the biological parameters analyzed in univariate analysis, significant associations with mortality were objectified for high white blood cell count (p = 0.035), and high serum bilirubin and creatinine (p < 0.0001); low rate of prothrombin time (PT) (p < 0.0001), of albumin (p = 0.0001) and of serum sodium (p < 0.0001). Among the complications analyzed, significant associations with mortality were objectified for jaundice, ascites (p = 0.001), hemorrhagic decompensation, hepatic encephalopathy, and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (p < 0.001). Univariate analysis of the etiology of cirrhosis objectified significant associations for cirrhosis secondary to hepatitis B (p = 0.001) and hepatitis C (p = 0.022). Multivariate analysis objectified four independent predictors of mortality: hepatic encephalopathy, infection (hyper leukocytosis ≥ 10,000/mm 3 ), renal failure (serum creatinine ≥ 15 mg/l) and hyponatremia. Conclusion: In our series, we identified four independent predictors of intra-hospital mortality in cirrhotic patients: hepatic encephalopathy, infection, renal failure and hyponatremia.

The upper gastrointestinal bleeding from esophageal or gastric varices is the most dangerous complication of portal hypertension. The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of early rebleeding and mortality after a bleeding episode. Patients and Methods: It was a retrospective study including 215 patients admitted in our department of hepatology and gastroenterology at the Hassan II University Hospital of Fez, from January 2001 to January 2010. Results: The mean age of our patients was 51 years. Thirty percent of patients had cirrhosis due to virus (B or C). The majority of patients (79%) had only esophageal varices. Fifty patients (23%) had a bleeding recurrence. Twenty-five patients (11.5%) died during the first ten days, of which 52% had presented rebleeding (p = 0.01). In 30% of cases, the rebleeding was secondary to a fall of pressure ulcers. Univariate analysis showed that early mortality of patients was significantly associated with advanced age (p = 0.018), low prothrombin time (PT) (p = 0.022), low serum sodium (p = 0.03), low platelet count (p = 0.05), and elevated transaminases (p = 0.02). Conclusion: The survival of cirrhotic patients after a bleeding episode was influenced by advanced age, a low rate of PT, of serum sodium, and of the platelet count, and elevated transaminases.