Published in the Journal of Hepatology. Here is a link to the article.
Regenstrief Institute author: Wanzhu Tu, PhD
A new study analyzing national mortality data found that deaths from liver disease have increased in recent years, with the highest growth seen among adults under the age of 55.
The analysis, which reviewed data from 1988 to 2019, showed that alcohol-associated liver disease accounted for the largest portion of deaths and experienced the fastest rate of increase. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was also identified as a steadily growing cause of liver-related deaths.
After a period of stability, overall liver disease mortality began rising again starting in the mid-2000s, with a sharper increase observed between 2010 and 2019. The data indicate a shift in the burden of liver disease toward younger adults, emphasizing the importance of early identification and monitoring.
The study provides updated national trends and identifies alcohol-associated and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease as the primary contributors to the recent increase in liver-related deaths. These findings can help guide future research, healthcare planning and prevention initiatives.
Authors:
Eduardo Vilar-Gomez1, Lauren Nephew1, Samer Gawrieh1, Raj Vuppalanchi1, Carla Kettler2, Francis Pike2, Wanzhu Tu2, Niharika Samala1, Suthat Liangpunsakul1,3, Naga Chalasani1
Affiliations
1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
2Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
3Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
