May issues of AGA's journals highlight important research updates on liver disease

The May issues of AGA's journals -- Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology and Gastroenterology -- highlight important research updates on the most deadly forms of liver disease. Here's what you need to know:

• Researchers confirm that NAFLD worsens heart disease.
• One specific cardiovascular disease risk factor -- psychological distress -- is linked to death from liver disease in a large, general population sample.
• Improvements in cirrhosis care have contributed to a 41 percent decrease in inpatient mortality.

NAFLD Worsens Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death both in the general population and in patients with NAFLD. A new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology confirms that NAFLD is responsible for worsening of the cardiovascular risk factor profile, even in the absence of diabetes. This finding is based on a case-control study, which found that NAFLD causes increased serum levels of laboratory markers of cardiovascular risk. This information is important to better define the "at-risk" population, allowing for personalized management approaches in such individuals.

Psychological Distress Linked to Liver Disease Mortality

A novel new study in Gastroenterology finds that psychological distress, which includes symptoms of anxiety and depression, is linked to subsequent liver disease mortality. This large, general population sample was the first study of its kind, and while this study is not able to confirm direct cause and effect, it does provide evidence that requires further consideration in future studies.

Decrease in In-Patient Cirrhosis Deaths

In some positive news, researchers report in Gastroenterology that, in the U.S., inpatient mortality for cirrhosis patients has decreased steadily from 2002 through 2010, despite increasing age and medical complexity. Based on this representative sample of U.S. hospitalized patients with cirrhosis, the absolute rate of dying in the hospital fell steadily by 41 percent from 9.1 percent in 2002 to 5.4 percent in 2010. The decline in mortality for cirrhosis patients was significantly larger compared to non-cirrhotic patients, suggesting that the improvement in cirrhosis survival may be due to better cirrhosis-specific care that extends beyond general improvements in inpatient care. This is welcomed news considering that cirrhosis is the eighth leading cause of death in the U.S., which often requires hospitalizations due to severe complications.