Population-based cohort study investigating the association between weight loss and pyogenic liver abscesses

BACKGROUND AND AIM Few systematic studies focus on the association between weight loss and pyogenic liver abscesses. The objective of the study was to assess the association between weight loss and pyogenic liver abscesses in adults in Taiwan. METHODS This population-based cohort study utilized the database of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program. Totally, 8453 subjects aged 20 to 84 years with newly diagnosed weight loss between 2000 and 2012 were assigned as the weight loss group, and 33777 randomly selected subjects without weight loss were assigned as the non-weight loss group. Both the weight loss and the non-weight loss groups were matched according to sex, age, and comorbidities. The incidence of pyogenic liver abscesses at the end of 2013 was measured in both groups. RESULTS A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was done and presented evidence that the adjusted HR of pyogenic liver abscess was 2.47 (95 %CI 1.21, 5.02) for those subjects with weight loss and without comorbidities, as compared with those subjects without weight loss and without comorbidities. Among the weight loss group, 5% developed pyogenic liver abscesses within 3 months. CONCLUSION Weight loss is associated with pyogenic liver abscesses in adults. Yet weight loss might not be an early clinical symptom of undiagnosed pyogenic liver abscesses.