Treatment of Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis.
Gastroenterology. 2016 Mar 3;
Authors: Thursz M, Morgan TR
Abstract
Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a syndrome of jaundice and liver failure that occurs in a minority of heavy consumers of alcoholics. The diagnosis is usually based on a history of heavy alcohol use, findings from blood tests, and exclusion of other liver diseases by blood and imaging analyses. Liver biopsies, usually collected via the trans-jugular route, should be analyzed to confirm a diagnosis of AH in patients with an atypical history or presentation. The optimal treatment for patients with severe AH is prednisolone, possibly in combination with N-acetyl cysteine. At present, only short-term increases in survival can be expected-no treatment has been found to increase patient survival beyond 3 months. Abstinence is essential for long-term survival. New treatment options, including liver transplantation, are being tested in trials and results are eagerly awaited.
PMID: 26948886 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]