From the Guidelines
The survival rate for a child with Class C liver disease due to alcoholism is approximately 75% at 3 years if the patient stops drinking, but all those who continue to drink die in 3 years. This classification represents the most severe form of liver cirrhosis, characterized by significant liver dysfunction, including jaundice, ascites, encephalopathy, and coagulopathy. Immediate alcohol cessation is absolutely essential for any chance of survival improvement, as demonstrated by a study published in Hepatology 1.
Key Considerations
- The mainstays of treatment of patients with cirrhosis and ascites include education regarding dietary sodium restriction and oral diuretics, as outlined in the Hepatology study 1.
- Liver transplantation offers the best long-term survival outcome for eligible patients, increasing 5-year survival rates, as discussed in the Clinical and Molecular Hepatology study 1.
- Nutritional support with 1.2-1.5g/kg of protein daily and vitamin supplementation is crucial for patients with liver disease.
- The poor prognosis in Class C cirrhosis results from extensive liver scarring and dysfunction that severely compromises the liver's ability to perform its vital metabolic, synthetic, and detoxification functions, leading to multiple organ system complications.
Management and Treatment
- Medical management typically includes diuretics like spironolactone and furosemide for ascites; lactulose for hepatic encephalopathy; and prophylactic antibiotics like norfloxacin for those with prior spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.
- Abstinence from alcohol is the most critical factor in improving survival rates, as demonstrated by the Hepatology study 1, which found that patients who stopped drinking had a significantly improved 3-year survival rate.
- Liver transplantation may be considered in patients whose severe alcoholic hepatitis has not responded to medical treatment, as discussed in the Clinical and Molecular Hepatology study 1.
From the Research
Survival Rate of a Child with Class C Liver Disease due to Alcoholism
- There are no research papers to assist in answering this question as the provided studies do not mention the survival rate of a child with Class C liver disease due to alcoholism.
- The studies primarily focus on the management and treatment of alcoholic liver disease in adults, with no specific information on pediatric cases 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- The Child-Pugh scoring system is mentioned as a semi-quantitative scoring system to characterize clinical severity, but no data is provided on the survival rate of children with Class C liver disease 2.
- The studies emphasize the importance of abstinence, nutritional support, and timely referral to a liver transplant program for patients with decompensated cirrhosis, but do not provide information on pediatric cases 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.