Healthy behaviours may prevent death in cirrhosis patients

Keeping a healthy lifestyle such as having a balanced diet, regular exercise, and quality sleep may provide survival benefits to patients with cirrhosis, suggests a study.

A team of investigators included participants aged ≥20 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005 to 2018. They assessed cardiovascular health using Life’s Essential 8 (LE8), which consists of four health behaviours (diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, and sleep).

Cirrhosis was identified via abnormal liver function test results, with an aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index >2. Mortality status of the participants was determined by matching with the National Death Index, while all-cause mortality served as the follow-up endpoint.

LE8 showed no significant association with cirrhosis. Participants with a higher score in health behaviours were less likely to develop cirrhosis.

Furthermore, LE8 had an inverse U-shaped association with all-cause mortality in patients with cirrhosis, indicating a reduction in all-cause mortality when LE8 exceeds 60. Notably, a higher health behaviour score significantly correlated with a reduced proportion of all-cause mortality in cirrhosis patients.

“Maintaining better health behaviours may be beneficial for cirrhosis, especially through a balanced diet, regular exercise, smoking cessation, and quality sleep,” the investigators said.

“The global burden of cirrhosis is increasing, with a rising number of deaths, leading to significant societal and economic challenges,” they noted.