Influence of habitual drinking and viral hepatitis type C in the progression of liver cirrhosis

Recently prevalence of alcoholic liver disease has been increasing in Japan associated with an increase in alcoholic beverage consumption. In the present study, we addressed the recent trend in the etiology of liver cirrhosis (LC) in Japan, and investigated the influence of habitual drinking and viral hepatitis type C in the progression of LC. We carried out nation-wide survey by asking for the hospitals that are approved by the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology for the etiology of in-patients with LC, and compared to that in our hospital. Regarding the cases in nation-wide survey, 1274 cases (14%) of 9126 patients with LC were pure (without any markers of hepatitis virus) heavy drinkers, and 580 cases (6%) were heavy drinkers with any markers of hepatitis virus. However, in our general hospital, 24 cases of 101 patients with LC (24%) were pure heavy drinker, and 31 cases (30%) were heavy drinkers with any markers of hepatitis virus. In conclusion, although influence of hepatitis virus infection in alcoholic LC has been decreasing, it still plays an important role in the progression of alcoholic LC, especially in the general hospitals. Education of abstinence or low risk drinking is important not only heavy drinkers but also habitual drinkers with hepatitis virus infection.