Trends in the inpatient burden of alcohol‐related liver disease among women hospitalized in the United States

Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is the leading indication for liver transplantation in the United States, but disparities for women with ALD exist. We sought to characterize trends in ALD hospitalizations and mortality among women. Using the National Inpatient Sample, we evaluated ALD and non-ALD discharges from 2003 to 2017. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate mortality. ALD increased more rapidly among women, with alcohol hepatitis (AH) rising the most. When stratified by age and sex, changes in alcohol-related cirrhosis (AC) and AH were greater in women in nearly all age groups. Similar increases were present when stratified by race, notably for Native American and Asian women. AH mortality increased in women in almost all age groups. While ALD remains predominantly male, discharges and mortality have disproportionately increased among women, particularly in young women and Native Americans. These findings shed light on populations in need of intensive public health interventions.