Table 3 Clinical characteristics and ultrasound findings in the study subjects with chronic liver disease, by aetiology
From: Unexplained chronic liver disease in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study
Variable | All patients (n = 150) | Aetiology known (n = 67) | Aetiology unknown (n = 83) |
|---|---|---|---|
Symptoms | |||
 Abdominal swelling | 128 (85.3) | 51 (76.1) | 77 (92.8)* |
 Epigastric pain | 12 (80.0) | 56 (83.6) | 64 (77.1) |
 Weight loss | 119 (79.3) | 54 (80.6) | 65 (78.3) |
 Fever | 77 (51.3) | 35 (52.2) | 42 (50.6) |
 Arthralgia/myalgia | 75 (50.3)a | 33 (49.3) | 42 (51.2)a |
 Nausea | 69 (46.3)a | 30 (45.5)a | 39 (47.0) |
 Diarrhoea | 64 (42.7) | 27 (40.3) | 37 (44.6) |
 Haematemesis | 53 (35.3) | 27 (40.3) | 26 (31.3) |
 History of jaundice | 47 (31.3) | 24 (35.8) | 23 (27.7) |
Clinical findings | |||
 Ascites | 138 (92.0) | 60 (89.6) | 78 (94.0) |
 Splenomegaly | 99 (66.0) | 48 (71.6) | 51 (61.4) |
 Jaundice | 28 (18.7) | 16 (23.9) | 12 (14.5) |
 Caput medusae | 25 (16.7) | 8 (11.9) | 17 (20.5) |
 Hepatic encephalopathy | 16 (10.7) | 7 (10.4) | 9 (10.8) |
 Traditional scarring/burning | 101 (67.3) | 46 (68.7) | 55 (66.3) |
Ultrasound findings | |||
 Ascites | 138 (92.0) | 60 (89.6) | 78 (94.0) |
 Smooth liver surface | 4 (2.7) | 3 (4.5) | 1 (1.2) |
 Mild uneven liver surface | 44 (29.3) | 15 (22.4) | 29 (34.9) |
 Nodular liver surface | 102 (68.0) | 49 (73.1) | 53 (63.9) |
 Heterogeneous echotexture | 62 (41.3) | 22 (32.8) | 40 (48.2) |
 Coarse echotexture | 87 (58.0) | 44 (65.7) | 43 (51.8) |
 Hepatic steatosis | 1 (0.7) | 1 (1.5) | 0 |
 Periportal fibrosis | 21 (14.0) | 9 (13.4) | 12 (14.5) |
In-hospital death | 9 (6.0)a | 4 (6.0) | 5 (6.1)a |