Recent advances in the pathogenesis and treatment of alcoholic liver disease

This paper reviews the recent advances in the pathogenesis and drug therapy of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Plans for long-term management of patients with ALD have been outlined. No specific drug is available for treating alcoholic cirrhosis at present. As there are no genetic, immunological or biochemical markers to predict the progression of alcohol-induced hepatopathy to date, perivenular sclerosis is the only available hepato-histological marker for developing alcoholic cirrhosis. Total abstinence from drinking alcohol is the primary aim of management. It is also suggested that periodic assessment of synthetic capability of liver might offer warning signal for the deterioration of hepatic lesion in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis.