Overall Prevalence and Mortality of Chronic Liver Disease in the Town of Mbujimayi

Background

Chronic liver disease is exploding worldwide, and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The African region is associated with limited incomes, inadequate diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities, and consequently aggravated morbidity and mortality from chronic liver disease.

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of chronic liver disease, describe the clinical and paraclinical profile of patients and identify factors influencing vital outcome.

Methods

This was a documentary, retrospective, analytical, cross-sectional study of patients admitted for chronic liver disease during the period January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2024 at Bonzola Hospital. The clinical and paraclinical characteristics of patients were collated, and mortality from chronic liver disease and its determinants investigated. Frequencies were used to summarize qualitative variables. Measures of central tendency (mean/median) and dispersion were used to summarize quantitative variables. Proportions were compared using Pearson's chi-square test. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The hospital prevalence of chronic liver disease was 1.6% over the period considered. These diseases consisted of cirrhosis (41.02%), chronic viral hepatitis B (17.7%), chronic viral hepatitis C (12.7%), chronic viral hepatitis B and C co-infection (7.6%) and cancer (14.1%). The average age of patients was 55 ± 18 years, with the majority between 40 and 79 years of age. Men were more affected than women, probably due to the alcohol and smoking habits more prevalent among men in our study environment. The most frequent reasons for consultation were abdominal pain, vomiting, jaundice or oedema and ascites, indicating decompensation and/or degeneration of liver disease, and thus a rather late admission and diagnosis. At discharge, 26.9% of patients had died. The rather short hospital stay of the deceased patients suggested a greater severity of their condition at the time of admission.

Conclusion

Chronic liver disease is a major health problem in our environment. It is essential to promote health education to encourage early recourse to care, while improving the technical platform for optimal patient management.