Is there scope to improve the selection of patients with alcohol-related liver disease for referral to secondary care? A retrospective analysis of primary care referrals to a UK liver centre, incorporating simple blood tests.

Freya Alison RhodesSara CococciaPreyaJanubhai Patel Jasmina Panovska-GriffithsSudeep TanwarRachel H WestbrookAlison RodgerWilliam Rosenberg

Published in: BMJ open (2021)

The majority of referrals with suspected ArLD were deemed unnecessary. NIT could improve identification of liver damage in ArLD, BAFLD and NAFLD in primary care. Anecdotal thresholds for harmful drinking (35 U/w in women and 50 U/w in men) were validated. The impact of alcohol on NAFLD highlights the importance of multi-causality in chronic liver disease.

Keyphrases

primary care
alcohol consumption
healthcare
general practice
palliative care
polycystic ovary syndrome
oxidative stress
pulmonary embolism
quality improvement
cross sectional
emergency department
pregnancy outcomes
drug induced
adverse drug
adipose tissue
bioinformatics analysis
cervical cancer screening