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The Child-Turcotte criteria (CTC)(based on serum bilirubin and albumin, ascites, neurological disorder and nutrition) are established prognostic factors in patients with cirrhosis having portacaval shunt surgery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of CTC in conservatively treated cirrhosis. Patients (n= 245) with histologically verified cirrhosis from a control group of a controlled clinical trial were studied. Data at entry into the trial were used to classify patients according to CTC. Survival curves for up to 16 years were made, and survival rates were compared using the log-rank test. Survival decreased significantly with increasing degree of abnormality (A±B±C) of albumin (p< 0.001), ascites (p< 0.001), bilirubin (p= 0.02) and nutritional status (p= 0.03). Survival was insignificantly influenced by neurological status (p= 0.11) probably because none of the patients had hepatic coma at entry into …