DDSEP® 8 Quick Quiz

February 2020: Question 1

You recently diagnosed a 66-year-old man with cirrhosis due to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The patient presents to your clinic now inquiring about his long-term prognosis.

Which of the following is the most common cause of long-term mortality among patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) cirrhosis?

Colon cancer

Cardiovascular disease

Hepatic failure

Infection

Q1. Correct Answer: B

Rationale

The leading cause of death in patients with NASH is cardiovascular disease. Death from liver-related causes is much more common in NASH than in the general population, but is not the leading cause of death. Cancer-related death is among the top three causes of death in patients with NASH, but is not the most common.

References

1. Adams LA, Lymp JF, St Sauver J, et al. The natural history of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a population-based cohort study. Gastroenterology 2005;129:113-21.

2. Chalasani N, Younossi Z, Lavine JE, et al. The Diagnosis and Management of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Practice Guidance from the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease. Hepatology 2018;67:328-57.

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February 2020 – ICYMI