[A case of alcoholic hepatitis diagnosed by a liver biopsy and successfully treated by corticosteroid therapy]

A 50-year-old man with a history of alcohol intake exceeding 80 g/day was admitted because of severe liver dysfunction and high fever. A rapid increase of transaminase with remittent high fever was observed several days after admission. Abdominal CT scan demonstrated a 22×20 mm mass in segment 8, highly suggestive of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, because the etiology of the liver dysfunction was still unknown, we performed a liver biopsy on the sixth day. Histological examination of the liver specimen showed marked granulocyte infiltration, Mallory bodies, and hepatocyte ballooning, all consistent with alcoholic hepatitis. We made a final diagnosis of alcoholic hepatitis and successfully treated him with corticosteroids. This case suggests that a liver biopsy has diagnostic value in alcoholic hepatitis, especially in cases in which the diagnosis is uncertain.