[Clinical morphology of alcoholism]

Separation of the alcoholic disease into a special nosological entity is founded on the basis of a clinico-morphological analysis. It is suggested to distinguish hepatic, gastric, pancreatic, cardiac, pulmonary and renal clinico-anatomical forms of the alcoholic disease that are most frequently observed in the therapeutic clinics. The most characteristic signs of the ethanol effect ("morphological markers") are as a rule observed in the exacerbation of the disease. They are as follows: alcoholic hyalin in hepatocytes and accumulation of intermediate filaments in the epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Pathology of the cytoskeleton is a morphological expression of the affected protein metabolism. Apart from the disturbance of the protein metabolism, the metabolism of lipids is damaged as well, this being manifested in the accumulation of fat inclusions in the cytoplasm of the different organ cells. Leucocytes and macrophages of the exudate in the alcoholic disease possess the signs of the functional insufficiency thus confirming the state of the immunodeficiency in alcoholics.