Death by drinking: Alcohol fuels surge of cirrhosis deaths among young adults, study finds

Brett Molina | USA TODAY

Young adults suffered the greatest increase in deaths over recent years due to cirrhosis, according to a new study that blames alcohol consumption for the surge in fatalities.

Researchers at the University of Michigan found that people ages 25 to 34 experienced a more than 10 percent spike in deaths due to cirrhosis, an irreversible scarring of the liver, between 2009 and 2016 — the highest of any age group in the study. The cases were "driven entirely" by alcohol-related liver disease, researchers concluded.

Between 1999 and 2016, overall deaths in the U.S. caused by cirrhosis surged 65 percent, according to the study. Researchers analyzed public data on deaths available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, focusing specifically on deaths where cirrhosis was one of the key causes.

The findings were published in the British Medical Journal.

Elliot Tapper, a co-author on the study and assistant professor specializing in gastroenterology at the University of Michigan, said alcohol is the most common cause of cirrhosis among younger adults.

"We were shocked to find out how consistent it was across the country," said Tapper.

The CDC defines moderate drinking as up to 1 drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men. Binge drinking is defined as having more than 4 drinks in one sitting for women, and 5 drinks for men.

Other causes of cirrhosis include hepatitis and bile duct disease, according to the American Liver Foundation.

The study follows findings published earlier this month from the CDC which show a spike in liver cancer rates. Between 2000 and 2016, death rates for liver cancer increased 43 percent.

Liver cancer was the sixth leading cause of death by cancer two years ago, said the CDC, up from ninth in 2000.

Tapper said it's also important for medical professionals to quickly assess who's at risk for cirrhosis.

"There’s also an equally more important process of how do we address people dying from cirrhosis from other causes — finding out who’s at risk before the disease is irreversible," he said.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.

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