Clinical profile of patients with cirrhosis of liver in a tertiary care hospital, Dharan, Nepal.

One hundred and five (72 males; 33 females) consecutive patients who met the inclusion criteria were studied. The mean age of the patients was 49.06 +/- 11.27 years (range 23-73 years). Ninety patients were adult cirrhotics (age > or = 35 yrs) and the remaining 15 patients were young (age < or = 35 yrs). Ninety out of 105 patients were having alcohol related cirrhosis. The commonest presenting symptoms were abdomen distension (100% in young cirrhotics vs. 84.4% in adult cirrhotics) and jaundice (93.3% in young cirrhotics vs. 84.4% in adult cirrhotics). The most common presenting signs were ascites (100% in young cirrhotics vs. 84.4% in adult cirrhotics) and icterus (93.3% in young cirrhotics vs. 84.4% in adult cirrhotics), followed by loss of body hair (73.3% vs. 71.1% in young and adult cirrhotics respectively) and spider naevi (46.7% vs. 61.1% in young and adult cirrhotics respectively). Sixty percent of young cirrhotics and 52% of adult cirrhotics were in Child's grade C at the time of presentation. Most of the deaths were seen in Child's grade C of liver disease. Alcoholic cirrhosis is common in the eastern part of Nepal. Cirrhosis is not uncommon in younger age group. Abdomen distension and jaundice were most common clinical presentations. Most patients were in Child's grade C and most deaths were due to hepatic failure.