BACKGROUND Patients with liver cirrhosis are at increased risk of serious bacterial infections carrying a high case fatality rate. Case reports have suggested an association between liver cirrhosis and pyogenic liver abscess.

AIMS To estimate the risk and case fatality rate of pyogenic liver abscess in Danish patients with liver cirrhosis compared with the background population.

RESULTS We identified 22 764 patients with liver cirrhosis and 665 patients with pyogenic liver abscess, of whom 21 were cirrhotics and 644 were non-cirrhotics. The crude incidence rate of liver abscess in cirrhotics was 23.3 (95% CI 14.4–35.6) per 100 000 person years. The age adjusted risk of liver abscess was increased 15-fold in patients with cirrhosis compared with the background population. The 30 day case fatality rates in patients with liver abscess and cirrhosis were 38.5% (13.9–68.4) in alcoholic cirrhosis and 62.5% (24.5–91.5) in non-alcoholic cirrhosis compared with 26.9% (23.5–30.5) in liver abscess patients from the background population. After adjustment for sex, age, and comorbidity, the relative risk of death was increased more than fourfold in alcoholic cirrhosis and non-alcoholic cirrhosis compared with the background population.

CONCLUSIONS Liver cirrhosis is a strong risk factor for pyogenic liver abscess associated with a poor prognosis.