The cirrhosis epidemic in the UK: evaluating the causes in a European context
- 1 October 2007
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Informa UK Limited in Expert Review of Gastroenterology & Hepatology
- Vol. 1 (1), 41-45
- https://doi.org/10.1586/17474124.1.1.41
Abstract
'Epidemic' is defined as the occurrence of many cases of a disease within an area, whereas 'pandemic' is used to emphasize its occurrence over a wide geographical area. This article reviews the epidemiology of cirrhosis in Europe and particularly within Britain, illustrating the different mortality trends in different countries. The rapid rise in mortality rate in Scotland is discussed and potential explanations explored. The major causes of cirrhosis that are increasing, namely alcohol abuse, hepatitis C and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, are reviewed. Hepatitis B, of course, remains a major cause of cirrhosis worldwide but is not responsible for the recent increased deaths from cirrhosis discussed in this article. The burden of this disease, which largely consists of variceal hemorrhage, hepatocellular carcinoma and orthotopic liver transplantation, are also discussed.Keywords
This publication has 21 references indexed in Scilit:
- Worldwide mortality from cirrhosis: An update to 2002Journal of Hepatology, 2007
- Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in the United States, 1999-2004JAMA, 2006
- Liver cirrhosis mortality rates in Britain, 1950 to 2002The Lancet, 2006
- Early growth and adult health outcomes - lessons learned from the Helsinki Birth Cohort StudyMaternal & Child Nutrition, 2005
- Evolution of liver transplantation in Europe: Report of the European Liver Transplant RegistryLiver Transplantation, 2003
- Obesity, insulin resistance, and other clinicopathological correlates of pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver diseaseThe Journal of Pediatrics, 2003
- The Critical Dimension of Ethnicity in Liver Cirrhosis Mortality StatisticsAlcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, 2001
- Alcohol and suicide in 14 European countriesAddiction, 2001
- The effect of changes in alcohol consumption on mortality and admissions with alcohol‐related diagnoses in Stockholm County‐a time series analysisAddiction, 1997
- Heavy alcohol consumption and physical health problems: A review of the epidemiological evidenceDrug and Alcohol Dependence, 1975