A Cross-Sectional Study to Identify the Antibiotic Usage Patterns in Patients Suffering with Neonatal Sepsis Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Background: Liver cirrhosis is the final common pathway of various chronic liver insults and remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Its clinical presentation ranges from asymptomatic to overt hepatic decompensation, with etiological factors varying among populations. Trends in clinical features and etiopathology in tertiary care centers need to be understood to aid early diagnosis and management. Objectives: To witness the clinical presentation, etiologic spectrum, and severity patterns of liver cirrhosis patients visiting a tertiary level care center in a metropolitan area. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study was performed in 110 patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. Comprehensive demographic, clinical, biochemical, and etiological profiles were documented. Clinical manifestations were divided into symptoms and signs, whereas laboratory tests comprised hematological and biochemical parameters. Severity of the disease was evaluated by Child–Turcotte–Pugh (CTP) classification and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the information. Results: The patients' mean age was 48.2 ± 10.6 years with a peak incidence (40.9%) in the 41–50 years age group. There was an astonishing male predominance (male:female ratio 10:1). Abdominal distension (87.3%), jaundice (83.6%), and pedal edema (81.8%) were the most frequent symptoms, whereas pallor (42.7%), icterus (83.6%), and ascites (87.3%) were common clinical findings. Alcohol was the most common etiologic factor, responsible for 87.3% of the cases, followed by viral hepatitis (5.5%). Laboratory derangements were anemia (56.4%), hyperbilirubinemia (70.9%), hypoalbuminemia (81.8%), deranged liver enzymes (elevation of AST in 72.7%; ALT in 65.5%), and coagulopathy (77.3%). The mean MELD score was 16.8 ± 6.2. On CTP classification, 20% were class A, 45.5% class B, and 34.5% class C, indicating predominance of moderate-to-severe disease at presentation. Conclusion: Liver cirrhosis in this urban population mostly involved middle-aged men, with alcohol being the major etiological factor. The clinical presentation was characterized by dominance of ascites, jaundice, and pedal edema, along with prominent biochemical derangements. The dominance of CTP classes B and C reflects late healthcare presentation. These results emphasize the need for early screening, public awareness, and proper intervention strategies to correct modifiable risk factors, particularly alcohol abuse.