[A method for identification of liver cirrhosis of alcoholic etiology]

There is a significant association between the pro capita alcohol consumption and cirrhosis mortality rate. Cirrhosis usually develops after years of excessive drinking, although in many alcoholic men it never develops, even after decades of drinking. The admission of large amounts of alcohol beverages is very difficult for many patients. This is a serious problem. In order to make easier the diagnosis in those patients, the authors have studied a composed, arbitrary score for alcoholism risk. The diagnosis with only laboratory findings was worse than that with an additional alcoholism risk score, in 48 cirrhotic patients with doubtful history of alcoholic etiology. The alcoholic risk score was based on presence/absence of: 1) car driving or working accidents; 2) familiar or love problems; 3) alcoholic relatives; 4) other alcohol-correlate disease; 5) job type.