Alcohol consumption associated with increased mortality in patients with HCV

Moderate, excessive or heavy alcohol consumption is significantly associated with increased mortality in patients with chronic hepatitis C, reports a study published ahead of print in the Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.

The impact of moderate alcohol consumption on long-term outcomes of chronic hepatitis C infected patients remains controversial.

Dr Younossi and colleagues assessed the impact of moderate alcohol consumption on long-term outcomes of chronic hepatitis C patients using population-based data.

The team obtained from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey-mortality linked files.

Alcohol consumption was estimated as grams per day.

Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was utilized to assess the effects of chronic hepatitis C and alcohol consumption on mortality.

A total of 8985 participants were included as the study cohort.

Of these, 218 had chronic hepatitis C.

Mortality associated with chronic HCV increased with moderate alcohol consumption of 1–19 g per day

Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics

The research team assessed that the follow-up time was 163 months for chronic hepatitis C, and 178 months for controls.

Chronic hepatitis C patients had increased risk for both overall mortality and liver-related mortality.

The team of doctors examined that chronic hepatitis C patients with excessive alcohol consumption had even higher risks for overall mortality and liver-related mortality.

The research team noted that the risk of overall mortality associated with chronic hepatitis C increased with moderate alcohol consumption of 1–19 g per day, and heavy alcohol consumption 30 g per day.

Dr Younossi's team concludes, "Although chronic hepatitis C is associated with increased risks for overall and liver-related mortality, these risks are even higher for patients consuming moderate and excessive amounts of alcohol."