Liver cirrhosis: Child-Pugh grading of cases seen in Nigeria

Child-Pugh grading is an important determinant of treatment options, surgical interventions and prognosis in chronic liver disease. Sixty-four liver cirrhosis patients (49 men, 15 women) seen at Ile-Ife, Nigeria were graded according to the Child-Pugh parameters. Only one (1.6%) was in Class A, while 21 (32.8%) and 42 (65.6%) were in Classes B and C, respectively. Thirty-four either had coagulopathy or were already in encephalopathy at the time of presentation. Hepatitis B virus-associated disease was present in 64% of the patients. Most Nigerian cirrhosis patients present with very advanced disease; they are thus poor-risk candidates for diagnostic procedures and surgery. Efforts should be intensified at making the diagnosis at a much earlier stage and universal immunization with the hepatitis B vaccine should be commenced to reduce the incidence of HBV-related chronic liver disease in Nigeria.