Hospitalizations, liver transplants linked to alcohol on the rise across age, gender groups
Between 2005 and 2021, liver transplants associated with alcohol-induced liver disease saw a relative increase of more than 2,000% among women younger than 40 years of age in the U.S., and their liver disease hospitalization rate more than doubled, according to data from the National Inpatient Sample.
Rates of hospitalizations and liver transplants associated with alcohol-induced liver disease increased significantly between 2005 and 2021 in the United States, a recent study found.
Researchers used data from the National Inpatient Sample to analyze hospitalizations related to alcohol-induced liver disease. They stratified patients into two age groups, younger than age 40 years or 40 years of age and older, although patients younger than 20 years were excluded. The results were published Nov. 14 as a research letter in JAMA.
Overall, in the time period studied, there were 6.5 million hospitalizations related to alcohol-induced liver disease. Liver transplants related to alcohol-induced liver disease totaled 27,447.
Rates of hospitalizations associated with alcohol-induced liver disease per 100,000 individuals increased from 63.47 in 2005 to 129.24 in 2021 among females, from 186.84 to 301.72 among males, from 33.89 to 102.27 among younger patients, and from 177.93 to 273.48 among older patients. Younger females had the largest relative increase (283.21%) and mean annual percentage change (8.93), followed by younger males (169.07% and 6.34, respectively).
For liver transplants related to alcohol-induced liver disease, rates between 2005 and 2021 per 1 million individuals increased from 1.88 to 8.39 among females, from 10.36 to 20.09 among males, from 0.70 to 7.27 among younger patients, and from 9.23 to 17.78 among older patients. Again, younger females had the highest relative increases (2,283.96%) and mean annual percentage change (19.71), followed by younger males (683.54% and 14.84, respectively).
A more complete summary of the study is available in the Nov. 20 ACP Hospitalist, a publication exclusive to ACP members.