Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis Effectively Treated with Vitamin E as an Add-on to Corticosteroids

A 49-year-old woman with a history of heavy alcohol drinking was admitted to our hospital due to jaundice and abdominal distention. A blood test showed leukophilia, mild hypoalbuminemia, hyperbilirubinemia, hepatobiliary injury and coagulopathy. Image studies showed an extremely enlarged fatty liver and splenomegaly. The Japan alcoholic hepatitis score and Maddrey's discriminant function were 10 and 54 points, respectively. We diagnosed her with severe alcoholic hepatitis and treated her with corticosteroids, but her liver function did not improve. We therefore administered the vitamin E product tochopheryl acetate (150 mg/day) as an add-on therapy, after which her leukophilia, liver enzymes and coagulopathy improved immediately.