From the Heart of Bangladesh: Groundbreaking Study Reveals Key Factors Behind Liver Cirrhosis

Abstract

Background: Liver cirrhosis is a common name for a threat to public health. When healthy tissue of the liver is replaced by scar tissue, cirrhosis occurs. A bundle of exaggerated factors is responsible for this life-threatening condition. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the socio-demographic characteristics and etiological factors of liver cirrhosis in a Bangladeshi population. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the hepatology department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. A purposeful sampling technique was used to collect the samples. The study was conducted from October 2020 to September 2021. Patients came to the outdoor hepatology department of BSMMU with the confirmed diagnosis of cirrhosis of the liver.  Eight hundred ninety-six patients were included in the study. Data were collected in a predesigned data collection sheet through face-to-face interviews and medical record reviews. Result: In the present study, 69.6% of respondents were female. The majority of the participants (53.2%) were in the 30- 50 age group. Nearly 60% of LC patients tested positive for the Hepatitis B virus. On the other hand, only 16.3% of patients tested positive for the hepatitis C virus. In general, HBV exaggerates the chance of having cirrhosis in Bangladesh. Conclusion: This clinical study illustrated the etiology of liver cirrhosis in our country compared to other countries. This dissimilarity regarding etiology with other countries enhances the importance of more clinical studies in different parts of the world.