Alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholism alone, or in combination with other etiologic factors, is a common cause of liver failure because of hepatitis, cirrhosis, and/or hepatocellular cancer. Encountered morphologic and functional alterations are due to immunologic reactivity to cell injury evoked by acetaldehyde, other noxious factors, and nutrient deficits. Less than 20% of subjects who consume over 90 g/d of ethanol for years develop progressive liver damage and cirrhosis. Alcoholism should be interrupted in patients with subclinical hepatic abnormalities. Although early alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis respond to abstinence and symptomatic therapy, available measures have little influence on functional and morphologic abnormalities in end-stage alcoholic liver disease. Resection is desirable for localized hepatocellular cancer, and liver transplantation should be considered for cirrhosis. Transplantation is appropriate for patients with uncomplicated end-stage alcoholic cirrhosis in whom evidence of liver failure can be controlled during a 6-month period of rehabilitation. Continuous psychosocial support is required to prevent recividism in the posttransplant immunosuppressed alcoholic.