Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Cryptogenic cirrhosis is cirrhosis that remains of unknown etiology after an exhaustive investigation. The relationship of cryptogenic cirrhosis with metabolic syndrome is strongly suggested. The aim of this work was to study the clinical-progressive profile of cryptogenetic cirrhosis and to determine the frequency of the metabolic syndrome.

Patients and Methods: This is a study collecting all cirrhotic patients over a period of 4 years in our gastroenterology department. The patients were divided into 2 groups (group 1 (G1): cryptogenic cirrhosis and group 2 (G2): cirrhosis of known etiology).

Results: A total of 71 patients were collected with an average age of 62 years. Viral origin was the most common cause (40.2%). Cirrhosis was classified as cryptogenic in 26.7% of cases (n = 19). Metabolic syndrome was more common in group 1 with a significant difference (68.4% vs 30.4%, P = 0.006). In group 1 patients, at least one criterion of the metabolic syndrome was found: diabetes (68.4%), hypertension (21.05%), dyslipidemia (10.5%) and overweight (73.6%)). Biologically, more than half of the patients in group 1 (57.8%) had disturbances in the liver balance: cytolysis in 21.05%, cholestasis in 15.8% and an isolated increase in GGT in 21, 05% of cases. By comparing the 2 groups, no significant difference was found in terms of sex, age and complications of cirrhosis except hepatocellular carcinoma which was more frequent in patients in group 2 with a significant difference (P = 0.05).

Conclusion: Cryptogenetic cirrhosis and metabolic syndrome are strongly associated. This association argues in favor of the role of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis as the main cause of cryptogenetic cirrhosis. This association also does not expose to a greater risk of complications.