Year 2021 / Volume 113 / Number 12
Editorial
Cases of liver disease lost in the health system: a call to action

807-809

DOI: 10.17235/reed.2021.8316/2021

Antonio Olveira, Manuel Hernández-Guerra, Esther Molina,

Abstract
We recently reported our experience searching for patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) who were lost in the health system. Our search of databases in 4 hospitals, 3 of which were tertiary institutions, revealed that sufficient data were available to ensure a reliable diagnosis (i.e., cholestasis, positive antimitochondrial antibody titer, and no other liver disease) in 14.3 % (100/697) of PBC cases. However, patients remained undiagnosed, thus missing an opportunity to start early treatment and follow-up. Even more strikingly, of 30 rescued patients, 27 % had an elastography result indicating a poorer prognosis (> 9.5 kPa).
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Olveira A, Hernández-Guerra M, Molina E. Cases of liver disease lost in the health system: a call to action. 8316/2021


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Publication history

Received: 30/08/2021

Accepted: 14/09/2021

Online First: 30/09/2021

Published: 09/12/2021

Article Online First time: 31 days

Article editing time: 101 days


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