Cirrhosis and decompensation are common among people with chronic hepatitis C

Cirrhosis and decompensation are common among people with chronic hepatitis C
Liz Highleyman
Produced in collaboration with hivandhepatitis.com

More than one-quarter of people with chronic hepatitis C at Kaiser-Permanente developed liver cirrhosis over 12 years and 40% of these experienced decompensation – higher rates than expected, according to a presentation at the recent Digestive Disease Week 2015 meeting in Washington, DC. The study also found that cirrhosis and decompensation were associated with comorbid conditions, supporting the idea of hepatitis C as a systemic disease.

Over years or decades, chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can lead to serious liver disease including advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver cancer, decompensated liver failure and the need for a liver transplant. People with decompensation – which occurs when the liver can no longer carry out its vital functions – may develop ascites (abdominal fluid accumulation), bleeding varices (enlarged veins) in the oesophagus or stomach and hepatic encephalopathy (brain impairment).

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