A Retrospective Analysis of Hepatic Disease Burden and Progression in a Hospital-Based Romanian Cohort Using Integrated Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Data (2019-2023)
Dumitrache (paunescu), Alina, Sutan, Nicoleta Anca, Popescu (stegarus), Diana Ionela, Soare, Liliana Cristina, Ponepal, Maria Cristina, Mihaescu, Cristina Florina, Bondoc, Maria Daniela, Atamanalp, Muhammed, Tantu, Ana Catalina, Pisoschi, Catalina Gabriela, Banita, Ileana Monica, Tantu, Monica Marilena
Objective: To analyze demographic traits, clinical complications, and healthcare use in patients with chronic liver disease across major etiologies in a large Romanian cohort. Methods: A retrospective study (2019-2023) of 2359 patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), hepatitis associated with alcohol (ALH), cirrhosis associated with alcohol (ALC), or non-alcoholic cirrhosis (NALC). Data on demographics, clinical outcomes, and hospitalizations were analyzed using descriptive statistics, regression modeling, and clustering in IBM SPSS 27.0.1. Results: CHC patients were oldest (mean 67.5 +/- 12.3 years), while ALH patients were youngest (56.0 +/- 11.0 years). CHC prevalence increased with age (10.0% in <= 30-year-olds to 87.1% in >= 81-year-olds; gamma = 0.535, p < 0.001). Females comprised 60-70% of CHC cases, males > 85% of ALH and >78% of ALC. Mean hospitalization duration decreased from 13.80 days (2019) to 9.10 days (2023), yet cirrhotic patients had the longest stays (NALC: 16.37 +/- 14.34; ALC: 17.66 +/- 12.96) versus CHC (10.38 +/- 10.14). Etiology was the strongest predictor of hospitalization length. Portal hypertension (PH) was the most common complication (54.3%), with males bearing more severe hepatic complications (ascites-38.3%; PH-66.8%). Conclusions: Hospital-based Romanian cohort analysis revealed that patient presentation and outcomes are fundamentally shaped by the interplay of etiology, sex, and age. We found a distinct female predominance in CHC, a pronounced male predominance in alcohol-related diseases, and evolving trends in non-alcoholic cirrhosis. These determinants dictate specific epidemiological patterns, hospitalization burdens, and complication risks, underscoring the critical need for a paradigm shift toward personalized, etiology-driven, and sex-tailored clinical management.
- Journal
- JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
- Year
- 2026
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 2
- eISSN
- 2077-0383
- DOI
- 10.3390/jcm15020454
- WoS UID
- WOS:001672282600001