Clinical, etiological, and demographic aspects of cirrhosis in South America: a report from the South American Liver Research Network
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Cirrhosis is a major global public health concern. In South America, previous studies have identified alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) and chronic hepatitis C as the leading causes. This study describes and characterizes a contemporary South American cohort of patients with cirrhosis, focusing on the current spectrum of etiologies, demographic aspects, and the frequency of complications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a multicenter, retrospective cohort study conducted across 11 centers in 6 South American countries. Patients included were adults (>18 years) with confirmed cirrhosis, and a minimum of two follow-up visits. RESULTS: A total of 1780 patients (50.7% male, median age 61 years) were evaluated. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) was the leading cause of cirrhosis (34.1%), followed by viral etiology (19.8%), autoimmune liver disease (18%), and ALD alone (16%). Comorbidities were highly prevalent, with self-reported alcohol intake in 37.8%, hypertension in 36.2%, and diabetes in 33.7%. Nearly two-thirds of patients (63.5%) developed at least one complication, with ascites being the most common (43.5%). Only 28.1% of the cohort underwent pre-transplant evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: In this contemporary South American cohort, MASLD has emerged as the leading cause of cirrhosis, and autoimmune disease affected nearly one-fifth of individuals with cirrhosis. The high burden of complications, with nearly two-thirds of patients developing at least one, and the low rate of pre-transplant evaluation suggest a significant unmet need for timely diagnosis and advanced care in the region.
Source: Annals of Hepatology
Authors: Jhon E. Prieto, Diego R. Puentes, Angelo Z. Mattos, Enrique Carrera E., Javier Diaz Ferrer, Martín Padilla-Machaca, Domingo Balderramo, Manuel Mendizabal, Marco Arrese, Robin G. Prieto, Diana Torres, Marlon R. Toazza, Guilherme John Neto, Angelo A. Mattos, Cristina N. Zambrano R., Maria Grazia Venturelli Romero, Fortunato S. Principe-Meneses, Chiara Zecchin, Martin Salvatierra, Juan D. Córdoba, Daniela Moreno, Javier Eslava-Schmalbach, José D. Debes
Institutions: Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Hospital de Especialidades Eugenio Espejo, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins, EsSALUD, Hospital Base Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen, Hospital Privado, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Biomédicas de Córdoba, Hospital Universitario Austral, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Hospital de Especialidades Carlos Andrade Marín, Peruvian University of Applied Sciences, University of Minnesota, Erasmus MC
Language: English
Subfield: Hepatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,500
OpenAlex ID: W7124831878