Prognosis

Mortality from liver abscess has been decreasing since about the late 1980s with the advent of new drainage techniques and antibiotics. In series of patients with liver abscess, in-hospital mortality ranged from 2.5% to 19%.[3]​​[4][6]​​[9][17][70]​​ In a large population-based study in the US, the in-hospital mortality for pyogenic liver abscess was 5.6% and was stable from 1994 to 2005.[6] Increased morbidity is associated with increasing age, shock, intensive care unit admission, bacteremia, multiple comorbidities, cirrhosis, chronic renal failure, cancer, jaundice, fungal infection, biliary origin of the abscess, acute respiratory failure, inadequate antibiotic therapy, and increased severity of illness.[6][70][71][72]​​ Studies have examined the link between cryptogenic liver abscess and colorectal cancer. One meta-analysis found that patients with liver abscess had an increased risk of colorectal cancer, particularly if the abscess is caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae.[73]​ Most of the studies included were from East Asia and the data were heterogenous. So the association is uncertain.[73]​ Colonoscopy can be considered. Recurrence of a liver abscess is more common in patients with an underlying biliary tract abnormality than in those without biliary disease.[66]

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