title: Burden of liver disease in Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The burden of liver diseases in the Brazilian population is still unknown. To assess the impact of liver diseases on hospital admissions and mortality within the framework of the Brazilian Unified Health System.
  
  
  METHODS
  An analytical ecological observational study was carried out. Secondary data on hospital admissions and deaths because of liver disease were collected from the Unified Health System Information Technology Department (DATASUS) database, between 2001 and 2010. All liver diseases included in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Liver diseases were the eighth leading cause of death in Brazil. The prevalence of hospital admission because of liver disease during the period of analysis was 0.72% (853 571 hospitalizations), and the mortality rate was 3.34% (308 290 deaths). The mean age at hospital admission and death because of liver disease was 48.05 and 58.10 years respectively. Both hospitalization and death because of liver disease were more common among men, and followed an upward trend over the years. Cirrhosis was the main cause of hospital admissions and death by liver disease in Brazil. The South region of the country had the highest hospital admission rates because of liver disease in Brazil, whereas the Southeast region had the highest mortality rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence of the relevance of liver diseases within the framework of the Brazilian Unified Health System, and shows that the burden of these diseases is not only significant but progressive, at least in terms of hospital admissions and mortality rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPEL), Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lysandro A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Nader
authors.forename: Angelo A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: de Mattos
authors.forename: Gisele A N
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Bastos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000639:trends*; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: hospitalization; liver diseases; mortality rate; public health