Liver diseases: Admissions and mortality in a medical ICU at a rural centre in Pakistan

Objectives: To study the frequency of admissions, complications and death rates in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) in a rural medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Methodology: Retrospective analysis of 174 consecutive admissions. Results: Out of 174 consecutive admissions, 69 patients (40%) had background liver disease. However, 55 patients out of this total (32%) were admitted directly in ICU because of the features of complications of their liver disease. Twenty six out of fifty five (47%) died. Thirteen out of twenty six had signs of encephalopathy. Seven out of fifty five had more than one complications of liver disease-only one of them survived. Hepatitis C was the cause of liver-related deaths in 18/26 (69%). Conclusion: CLD is the commonest cause of admissions (32%) in medical ICU-Hepatitis C being responsible for 69%. Liver disease and its complications were also the commonest cause of all deaths in medical ICU, of which Hepatitis C contributed 69%. Encephalopathy was the most common manifested complication of cirrhosis, causing highest mortality.