RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: In Mexico, hepatic cirrhosis mortality exhibits important regional differences. AIM: To analyze global survival of cirrhotic patients, according to etiology and functional status. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between March 1990 to August 1998, newly diagnosed patients with hepatic cirrhosis were included in a follow-up study. Subjects were analyzed monthly. Information on clinical evolution, complications, and dates of events (death) and complications were registered. Survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Ninety nine subjects were included in the survival analysis, 66 with alcoholic and 33 with viral cirrhosis (HCV and HBV in 24 and nine patients, respectively). Ninety seven percent of patients were decompensated at diagnosis, and 81 had ascites. Probabilities for survival in the entire series were 69.7, 37.6 and 23.6 at 24, 48, and 60 months, respectively. There were no significant differences in the survival of patients grouped according to etiology. When survival was analyzed by Child-Pugh score, it was slightly higher in the alcoholic cirrhosis group. CONCLUSIONS: In this study survival probability of patients with viral cirrhosis was lower than in patients with alcohol cirrhosis.