BACKGROUND: It is a frequently held notion that Inuits/Greenlanders are less prone to develop chronic liver disease than Europeans. High alcohol consumption and chronic viral infection are more frequent in Greenland than in Denmark. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study to examine the incidence and prevalence of liver discharge diagnosis with focus on cirrhosis among hospital-admitted patients in Greenland and Denmark. METHODS: Register-based ICD-10 discharge diagnoses from Queen Ingrid's Hospital, Greenland, (n = 1072) and Randers Central Hospital, Denmark, (n = 4599) were used to compare the incidence and prevalence of cirrhosis in hospitalised patients during 1998. RESULTS: Five patients (0.47%) in Greenland and 36 (0.78%) in Denmark had a liver discharge diagnosis (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.26-1.72). Two patients (0.19%) in Greenland compared to 25 (0.54%) in Denmark had a cirrhosis associated discharge liver diagnosis (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.08-1.45). The number of newly diagnosed discharged patients was smaller in Greenland, 2 (0.19%), vs. Denmark, 14 (0.30%), (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.14-2.70). CONCLUSION: Discharge liver diagnoses were not more frequent in Greenland than in Denmark--if anything, the hospital prevalence and incidence of liver discharge diagnoses were lower. This may reflect fewer cirrhosis cases in Greenland, and/or a shorter survival time, or lack of follow up.
BACKGROUND: It is a frequently held notion that Inuits/Greenlanders are less prone to develop chronic liver disease than Europeans. High alcohol consumption and chronic viral infection are more frequent in Greenland than in Denmark. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study to examine the incidence and prevalence of liver discharge diagnosis with focus on cirrhosis among hospital-admitted patients in Greenland and Denmark. METHODS: Register-based ICD-10 discharge diagnoses from Queen Ingrid's Hospital, Greenland, (n = 1072) and Randers Central Hospital, Denmark, (n = 4599) were used to compare the incidence and prevalence of cirrhosis in hospitalised patients during 1998. RESULTS: Five patients (0.47%) in Greenland and 36 (0.78%) in Denmark had a liver discharge diagnosis (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.26-1.72). Two patients (0.19%) in Greenland compared to 25 (0.54%) in Denmark had a cirrhosis associated discharge liver diagnosis (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.08-1.45). The number of newly diagnosed discharged patients was smaller in Greenland, 2 (0.19%), vs. Denmark, 14 (0.30%), (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.14-2.70). CONCLUSION: Discharge liver diagnoses were not more frequent in Greenland than in Denmark--if anything, the hospital prevalence and incidence of liver discharge diagnoses were lower. This may reflect fewer cirrhosis cases in Greenland, and/or a shorter survival time, or lack of follow up.