[Differentiation alcoholic liver cirrhosis from viral liver cirrhosis]

Liver cirrhosis (LC) in habitual drinkers is divided into three categories: (1) alcoholic LC, (2) LC due to hepatitis C virus and alcohol, and (3) LC due to hepatitis C virus. In Japan, the frequency of LC related to hepatitis B virus in habitual drinkers is comparatively low. Although making a distinct differentiation is very difficult, it is possible to point out some characteristics which ars due to either alcohol or hepatitis C virus: (1) multiple spider angioma, acne rosacea, and palmar erythema are more frequently found in categories 1 and 2 than in 3, (2) levels of AST/ALT, gamma-GTP, TG, ALP, lactate, and UA are higher in category 1 than in 3, (3) enlargement of both lobes is observed in category 1, and (4) abnormality due to alcohol improves relatively soon after abstinence of alcohol.