Mortality from liver disease is increasing in Brazil. What are the causes?

To the liver diseases (which affect the liver) are among the main causes of mortality in the world. It is estimated that approximately 2 million lives are lost each year to these problems, which represents 1 in every 25 deaths. And Brazil is no exception: an unprecedented study conducted by researchers at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) points to an increase in the mortality rate from liver diseases in Brazil.

According to the analysis, published in the journal The Lancet Regional Health – Americasone in every 33 deaths in the country occurs as a result of these conditions that damage the liver.

Damage to this organ originates from several conditions. Among the main causes of cirrhosis and organ cancer, which are potentially fatal, are chronic viral hepatitis and alcoholic fatty liver disease, caused by excessive alcohol consumption.

+ Read also: Deaths from viral hepatitis are increasing worldwide

Over the course of three years, UFMG scholars pored over information available on a platform run by the Department of Information and IT of the Unified Health System (DataSUS). National, state and municipal data were stratified between 1996 and 2022.

From this survey, it was possible to draw an overview of the epidemiology of liver diseases. “We saw that, in Brazil, the number of deaths from liver disease, in general, has always been very high. And we noticed that the mortality rate comes throughout the historical series analyzed, mainly from 2019 onwards”, points out biologist André Gustavo de Oliveira, professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the Institute of Biological Sciences at UFMG.

According to the study, the most lethal diseases are liver cancer, fibrosis and cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease and chronic viral hepatitis. The predominance varies from one region to another.

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“In the Northeast region, the main cause of death is alcoholic liver disease. In the South and Southeast, the most relevant is liver cancer”, says Oliveira.

In addition to region, issues of ethnicity and gender influence the equation. Men, for example, have a higher risk of dying from liver disease than women.

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“Among them, the main causes of death are, in order, liver disease, cirrhosis and liver cancer. In women, the highlight is liver cancer, which has been increasing year after year”, says the biologist.

For men, the risk of death from liver disease begins at age 30, becoming more considerable after age 40. Among women, this highest level is only reached at age 60.

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“Men are more exposed to risk factors that cause liver disease, such as alcohol abuse and an unhealthy eating pattern”, he highlights.

Regarding the ethnic issue, the study revealed that the white population dies mainly from liver cancer, while those of Asian origin die from alcoholic liver disease.

“We know that the livers of people of Eastern descent do not metabolize alcohol very well. But the underrepresentation of the black population draws attention. The numbers are very low and probably reflect a certain difficulty for this population in accessing health services”, details Oliveira. “In relation to original peoples, this situation is even more drastic”, details Oliveira.

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For researchers, the more accurate portrayal of this epidemiological scenario favors the direction of public policies with more assertiveness.

“Most of these liver diseases are lifestyle-related. Knowing the impacts by region or group of the Brazilian population allows the development of more specific and efficient educational campaigns”, assesses the professor.

+ Read also: Adults with fatty liver have a 30% higher risk of developing diabetes

The study also reveals that, on average, the government spends R$300 million per year on treating diseases that affect the liver. It seems like a lot, but, for the UFMG researcher, the amount of funding is less than necessary and there is a lack of incentives for the development of new methods for diagnosing these illnesses.

“If you look at the importance of liver diseases and compare this value with the Ministry of Health’s budget, we see that more investment is needed in this area. Almost 70% of this amount is going towards liver transplantation, the last possible strategy for patients with liver disease. So, this resource is going to the last end”, he points out.