Clinicians are seeing growing number of patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). The occurrence of diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is growing theatrically with ageing, and people with CLD are living into old age. Signs and indications of CLD in the older patient are often subtle and non-specific and a high index of thought is required in order to investigate. A number of diseases, which are dominate in women, have a habit to present in middle to older age. The menopause may reduce the liver more vulnerable to disease progression and although hormone replacement seems safe in CLD but it is not recommended for liver protection. Osteoporosis is common in CLD but robust evidence is lacking on fracture prevention. Attentiveness is required when inferring investigations as there are no age-associated changes in clinical liver function testing. Management approaches are similar irrespective of age or gender, but indication is lacking specific to older populations.

Source: Maturitas, 2010 Mar;65(3):210-4