OBJECTIVETo investigate the epidemiological status of cholestasis in first-hospitalized patients with chronic liver disease in Shanghai, and to provide a scientific basis for developing prevention and treatment measures.

METHODSFrom April 2005 to September 2014, 5,146 first-hospitalized patients in Shanghai with a diagnosis of chronic liver disease were enrolled in this study. Clinical data of the 4,660 patients who fit the study criteria for participation were collected for retrospective analysis.Diagnosis of cholestasis was made according to serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels higher than 1.5 times the upper limit normal (ULN) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels higher than 3 times the ULN. The incidence rate of cholestasis was assessed for relation to age, sex, etiology, and type of liver disease, and statistically compared to the general clinical data and specific biochemical indicators with potential sex-related differences. T-test and chi-square test were performed for the statistical analyses.

RESULTSOf the 4,660 study participants, 10.26% had cholestasis; the prevalence of cholestasis increased with increasing age in male patients. The distribution of the cholestasis incidence according to the type of chronic liver disease was: 75.00%, primary sclerosing cholangitis; 42.86%, primary biliary cirrhosis; 35.97%, hepatic tumor; 30.77%, autoimmune hepatitis; 28.31%, drug-induced liver disease; 16.46%, alcoholic hepatitis; 13.98%, cryptogenic cirrhosis; 12.99%, schistosomal cirrhosis; 7.53%, alcoholic cirrhosis; 7.32%, mixed cirrhosis; 5.94%, viral liver cirrhosis; 2.70%, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of cholestasis between the two sexes. In the patients with cholestasis, the levels of GGT and total bilirubin were significantly different between the two sexes.

CONCLUSIONThe incidence rate of cholestasis in first-hospitalized patients with chronic liver disease was 10.26%, and the rate increased with increased age. Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis or primary biliary cirrhosis had higher incidence rates of cholestasis. Incidence rates of cholestasis of the various chronic liver diseases were not related to sex.