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. 2023 Jan 13;7(2):148-151.
doi: 10.1002/jgh3.12864. eCollection 2023 Feb.

Soaring rates of alcohol-related hepatitis in the latter phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: A new normal?

Aalam Sohal  1 , Sameeha Khalid  1 , Victoria Green  1 , Jeffrey Hagino  1 , Hunza Chaudhry  1 , Alakh Gulati  2 , Marina Roytman  2
Affiliations

Soaring rates of alcohol-related hepatitis in the latter phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: A new normal?

Aalam Sohal et al. JGH Open. .

Abstract

Background: Studies have reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in alcohol consumption and alcohol-associated health problems in the general population. Our previous study documented a rise in severe alcohol-related hepatitis cases requiring inpatient admission in our hospital system in the early pandemic (2019 vs. 2020). This study assesses the rates of severe alcohol-related hepatitis in the latter part of the pandemic (2021).

Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review via an electronic medical record to evaluate the number of cases of alcohol-related hepatitis in patients presenting to three community hospitals in Fresno, California, between 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2021. A total of 547 patients were included in the study. We compared the demographics, clinical course, and outcomes of patients with alcohol-related hepatitis pre-pandemic (2019), early pandemic (2020), and during the later phase of the pandemic (2021).

Results: The number of cases increased from 131 in 2019 to 201 in 2020 and 215 in 2021 (53% and 64% increase, respectively). The number of young patients (age <40 years) increased from 30 in 2019 to 61 in 2020 and 71 in 2021 (103% and 136% increase, respectively) (p = 0.13). The number of admissions of women increased from 24 in 2019 to 55 in 2020 and 67 in 2021 (129% and 179% increase, respectively) (p = 0.026). Deaths during hospitalization increased from 20 in 2019 to 26 in 2021 (p = 0.674). The number of rehospitalizations within 3 months increased 4.5 times from 18 in 2019 to 80 in 2021 (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Our study revealed that the admissions for alcohol-related hepatitis remained significantly above the pre-pandemic levels through the end of 2021. We believe this sustained increase in cases of alcohol-related hepatitis in our hospital system reflects a much larger national problem. Alcohol-related hepatitis is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and societal cost. Urgent public health interventions are needed at a national level to prevent this rise in cases from becoming a new normal.

Keywords: COVID‐19 pandemic; alcohol; alcohol‐related hepatitis; hepatology.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Quarter‐wise distribution of cases between 2019 and 2021
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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