Difference in health related quality of life of chronic liver diseases and general population

Objectives: The impact of chronic liver diseases (CLDs) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is relevant to understand the burden of these conditions and to inform decision-making processes. Exhaustive studies addressing simultaneously all major CLDs are still lacking, therefore we compared HRQoL of patients affected by major CLDs with that of the general population. Methods: We analyzed HRQoL data of Italian patients with major CLDs with those of a representative sample of the general Italian population. HRQoL data were collected using the EQ-5D-3L. In order to assess the association between each CLD and HRQoL, we performed multiple regression analyses, adjusting for possible confounders, using each domain of the EQ-5D descriptive system, the utility index and the visual analogue scale (VAS) as dependent variables. Results: Overall, data from 2,962 subjects with CLDs and from 6,800 individuals from the general population were analyzed. Advanced CLDs (decompensated cirrhosis and HCC) were associated with a significantly higher risk of reporting problems in physical domains(mobility, self-care and usual activity), autoimmune hepatitis in self-care, and hepatitis-C and NAFLD/NASH in anxiety/depression. Similar results were obtained with VAS and utility index: advanced CLDs were associated with a significant reduction in both indexes, while autoimmune hepatitis reduced only VAS score. Conclusions: HRQoL in early stage of CLDs is similar to the general population and it decreases with the progression to advanced stages. This study presents a real estimate of the impact of major CLDs on patients’ HRQoL, providing a key tool for decision-making in care delivery for CLDs. Key messages: Quality of life in early stage of chronic livers diseases is similar to the general population and lower in advanced stages. Our results providing a key tool for decision-making in care delivery