Alcoholic Hepatitis

Overview

Journal Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol

Specialty Gastroenterology

Date 2001 Nov 7

PMID 11696277

Citations 2

Authors

Steven-Huy Bui Han

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Alcoholic hepatitis is a multisystem disease seen in individuals who chronically abuse alcohol. When severe, it is associated with a very high mortality rate, with nearly 50% of severely affected persons dying within 1 month of hospitalization. Primary therapy is complete alcohol abstinence and supportive care. Corticosteroids have been shown to be beneficial in a subset of severely ill patients with alcoholic hepatitis and concomitant hepatic encephalopathy. Pentoxifylline has been shown to improve short-term survival rates. Other pharmacologic interventions, including colchicine, propylthiouracil, calcium channel antagonists, and insulin with glucagon infusions, have not been proven to be beneficial. Nutritional supplementation with high-calorie, high-protein diets does not improve mortality rates. Orthotopic liver transplantation is highly controversial in this population of patients and currently is not indicated as definitive treatment. Extracorporeal liver support devices are still in their developmental stage and are only experimental.

Citing Articles

A meta-analysis of nutritional supplementation for management of hospitalized alcoholic hepatitis.

Antar R, Wong P, Ghali P Can J Gastroenterol. 2012; 26(7):463-7.

PMID: 22803023 PMC: 3395449. DOI: 10.1155/2012/945707.

Alcoholic Hepatitis.

Crosse K, Anania F Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2002; 5(6):417-423.

PMID: 12408778 DOI: 10.1007/s11938-002-0029-7.

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