Trends in the Burden of Chronic Liver Disease Among Hospitalized US Adults

Key Points Question Is the burden of chronic liver disease–related hospitalization on the US health care system changing over time? Findings In this cross-sectional study of 1 016 743 adult hospitalizations related to chronic liver disease, the inpatient burden increased in association with an aging population with increasing comorbidities. While inpatient burden attributable to hepatitis C virus remained significant, the burden due to alcoholic cirrhosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease also increased. Meaning The increasing burden of hospitalizations related to chronic liver disease emphasizes this disease’s clinical and economic impact and the importance of optimizing outpatient management to prevent complications leading to the need for hospitalization.