AHMEDABAD: Improper lifestyle and eating habits are the reason behind the sudden rise in liver disease cases in the city. In 2023, 196 liver transplants or 4 transplants per week were carried out at the Kidney Disease Institute and Research Center (IKDRC) located at Civil Hospital Medicity Campus. But in the first three months of this year, the number has already reached 57 cases, or 5 cases a week. Doctors warned that the situation was worrying ahead of World Liver Day, which is celebrated on April 19 every year. This year’s theme is “Stay vigilant and get regular liver tests to prevent fatty liver disease.” Director Dr. Pranjal Modi, Professor, IKDRC, said that in 2023, at least 21 of the patients were diagnosed with Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH). “This year’s World Liver Day theme focuses on the preventive aspects of the disease,” he said. According to city-based experts, around 60% of damaged livers in Gujarat that require transplants are affected by MASH. “It is a known fact that Gujarat has a high prevalence of diabetes. When combined with obesity and hypertension, the health condition often leads to MASH. In the post-COVID era, such patients We are seeing an increase in the number of cases,” said Dr. Babin Vasavada, hepatobiliary and liver transplant surgeon at Shalby Hospital. Dr Apurva Shah, a gastroenterologist and liver specialist in the city, said around 70-80% of these patients are like this. Two of his transplant cases are related to his MASH and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD), and the rest are due to alcohol consumption, hepatitis infection, and drug-induced complications. “The number of liver disease patients this year has increased by 30% compared to last year,” he said. “The focus must be on a balanced diet and an active lifestyle,” said Dr. Chirag Desai, program director of hepatobiliary and liver transplant surgery at Apollo Hospitals.
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