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Patterns of hepatomegaly in Jordanians: a prospective study of 800 cases
Insights
Cardiac failure is the leading cause of liver enlargement (hepatomegaly) in Jordanians. Inflammatory conditions, malignancy, and cirrhosis are also significant contributors to this common clinical finding.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Liver enlargement (hepatomegaly) is a common clinical sign with diverse etiologies.
- Understanding the prevalence of different causes in specific populations is crucial for diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the etiological spectrum of hepatomegaly in a Jordanian population.
- To determine the relative frequencies of various pathological processes causing liver enlargement.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study of 800 Jordanian patients diagnosed with hepatomegaly.
- Analysis of patient demographics, clinical presentations, and etiological findings.
Main Results:
- Congestion secondary to cardiac failure was the most frequent cause (38.5%).
- Inflammatory and parasitic processes accounted for 22.9%, followed by malignancy (19.6%) and liver cirrhosis (9.5%).
- Multiple pathological processes were identified in 34 cases.
Conclusions:
- Cardiac failure is the predominant cause of hepatomegaly in this Jordanian cohort.
- Inflammatory conditions, malignancy, and cirrhosis represent significant secondary causes.
- Hepatomegaly necessitates a comprehensive etiological investigation, considering cardiac, inflammatory, and neoplastic conditions.
Abstract:
Eight hundred Jordanians with liver enlargement were studied: 369 (46%) were males and 431 (54%) females. Ages ranged between 13 and 85 years, with a mean of 47.4%: 766 cases demonstrated a single pathological process while 34 cases showed two or more processes. The most significant findings were: congestion secondary to cardiac failure in 323 cases (38.5%); inflammatory and parasitic processes in 192 cases (22.9%), including acute hepatitis (81 cases), hydatid cyst (63 cases), chronic hepatitis (27 cases), liver abscess (19 cases), brucellosis (one case) and malaria (one case); malignancy in 164 cases (19.6%); liver cirrhosis in 80 cases (9.5%); fatty metamorphosis in 47 cases (5.6%); metabolic and genetic disease in 11 cases (1.3%); miscellaneous conditions in nine cases (1.1%); and 15 apparently normal individuals (1.8%). Cardiac failure was the most frequent cause of hepatomegaly in this sample of Jordanians. Inflammatory processes were the second major cause, followed by malignancy and cirrhosis of the liver.