What is the life expectancy in decompensated liver cirrhosis? | What is the life expectancy in cirrhosis of the liver?

What is the life expectancy in decompensated liver cirrhosis?

Even advanced cirrhosis of the liver can often be asymptomatic, as the healthy parts of the liver can sufficiently compensate for the missing functions. Only when a large part of the liver tissue has been destroyed by the liver cirrhosis, so-called “decompensations” occur, which can manifest themselves as changes in laboratory values, heavy bleeding, accumulation of abdominal fluid, the occurrence of infections or acute complications of the kidney, brain and lungs. With the severity of liver cirrhosis and the progressive loss of liver function, decompensation and complications become more severe.

Even fatal consequences of liver cirrhosis are in most cases caused by acute decompensation. Infections or bleeding are frequent causes of death. Life expectancy decreases sharply with the occurrence of severe decompensation, although acute complications and survival are difficult to predict and estimate. In stage “Child C” of liver cirrhosis, several decompensations are generally expected each year, which is why the average overall survival probability for one year in this stage is about 35%. Within this stage, however, much more stable or complicated clinical pictures may be present.

Water in the stomach

Water in the abdomen, also called “ascites”, is a typical symptom of advanced cirrhosis of the liver. It is caused by a decrease in the level of albumin in the blood, which is an important criterion for liver cirrhosis. Albumin is a protein produced by the liver, which ensures that water is bound in the blood vessels.

When the level of albumin is reduced, the water can pass from the blood vessel into the surrounding tissue or the abdominal cavity at several points in the body. The abdominal water can be sucked out therapeutically, but this can lead to life-threatening fluctuations in the electrolyte balance. Ascites indicates an advanced stage of liver cirrhosis in which life expectancy is already reduced.