Foundation data utilized for Baylor Scott & White liver disease study

We almost forgot to mention the great work of Dr. Sushma Sharma, the DFW Hospital Council (DFWHC) Foundation’s director of population health, in working with researchers from Baylor Scott & White Health on a recent paper detailing regional chronic liver disease.

Titled “Trends in Chronic Liver Disease-Related Hospitalizations: A Population-Based Study,” the paper examined trends in chronic liver disease (CLD)-related hospitalizations within the metroplex.

The team of researchers, including Sumeet K. Asrani, MD; Lauren Hall, PhD; Michael Hagan, MD; Samrat Yeramaneni, PhD; James Trotter, MD; Jayant Talwalkar, MD; Fasiha Kanwal, MD; and Dr. Sharma, combed through all CLD-related inpatient encounters from 2000–2015 in North Texas.

The statistics were provided by the DFWHC Foundation collaborative that captures claims data from 97 percent of all hospitalizations in the DFW area.

This crack team of researchers produced some surprising results, as it was revealed the CLD-related hospitalizations have increased twofold over the last decade. Hospitalized patients appear to be older and sicker with multiple chronic conditions. Traditional complications of portal hypertension have now been increasingly superseded by infection and renal failure, warranting a need to redefine what it means to have Cirrhosis, or decompensated CLD.

You can read the full report here.

For questions, please contact Dr. Sharma at ssharma@dfwhcfoundation.org.