Clinical features, course, viral markers and follow-up in young versus adult nonalcoholic cirrhotics--a retrospective study.

To determine the presenting features and prognosis of nonalcoholic cirrhosis, retrospective analysis was done in 145 cases. Of the total, 48 patients (33%) belonged to the young (less than or equal to 35 years), and 97 (67%) to the adult age group (greater than 35 years) with no predominance of either sex. The etiology of cirrhosis and the positivity of viral markers were similar in both groups. Adults had on presentation a higher frequency of anorexia while hematemesis was more frequent in the young group (p less than 0.001). During a mean follow-up (+/- SE) of 31.7 +/- 5.5 and 16.3 +/- 2.2 months in the young and adult group, respectively, 68 and 63% cases survived 5 years. Liver failure (53.8 and 44.4%) and variceal bleeding (23 and 11.1%) were the main causes of death in both groups, accounting for 27% mortality in each group.