Assessment of Various Factors Responsible for Hospital Admission in Patients of Chronic Liver Disease at Chandka Medical College Teaching Hospital, Larkana – An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

Various Factors Responsible for Hospital Admission in Patients of Chronic Liver Disease

Abstract

Chronic liver disease (CLD) is a major cause of hospital admission and in-hospital mortality in Pakistan, where chronic viral hepatitis is highly prevalent. Objectives: To assess factors responsible for hospital admission in CLD patients and their association with in-hospital outcome (Discharge vs Death). Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of General Medicine Unit-III, Chandka Medical College Teaching Hospital, Larkana, from 5^th January 2026 to 5^th March 2026.. Seventy patients aged 18–60 years with CLD ≥6 months and decompensated cirrhosis (Child–Pugh A, B, or C) were enrolled by consecutive sampling after informed consent and IRB approval (IRB/96). The primary admission factor and in-hospital outcome (Discharge or Death) were recorded. Data were analysed in SPSS version 26.0 using the chi-square test; p≤0.05 was significant. Results: Mean age was 44.43 ± 11.23 years; 45 (64.3%) were male. HCV was the leading aetiology (57.1%), and 33 (47.1%) had Child–Pugh Grade C disease. Commonest admission factors were ascites (31.4%), hepatic encephalopathy (14.3%), and variceal bleeding (11.4%). In-hospital mortality was 10/70 (14.3%). Variceal bleeding was the only factor significantly associated with mortality (40.0% vs 6.7%; p=0.012). Conclusions: Decompensation complications, such as ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, and variceal bleeding, drove CLD admissions, and variceal bleeding was the only factor significantly associated with in-hospital death. Findings warrant larger multi-centre studies.