Acute alcoholic hepatitis: Difference between revisions
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==Background== | ==Background== | ||
Acute alcoholic hepatitis is inflammatory liver disease secondary to alcohol use. | Acute alcoholic hepatitis is inflammatory liver disease secondary to alcohol use. | ||
*spectrum from hepatic steatosis to alcoholic hepatitis to cirrhosis | *spectrum from hepatic steatosis to alcoholic hepatitis to cirrhosis (1) | ||
*history of (usually chronic) alcohol abuse (~80 grams of ethanol daily for 5 years ( | *history of (usually chronic) alcohol abuse (~80 grams of ethanol daily for 5 years (4)) | ||
*ranges from subclinical cases to severe multisystem dysfunction | *ranges from subclinical cases to severe multisystem dysfunction | ||
Revision as of 22:16, 19 January 2016
Background
Acute alcoholic hepatitis is inflammatory liver disease secondary to alcohol use.
- spectrum from hepatic steatosis to alcoholic hepatitis to cirrhosis (1)
- history of (usually chronic) alcohol abuse (~80 grams of ethanol daily for 5 years (4))
- ranges from subclinical cases to severe multisystem dysfunction
Clinical Features
Symptoms
- abdominal pain
- N/V
- weight loss / fatigue / anorexia
Signs
- RUQ tenderness
- jaundice
- fever
- hepatomegaly
- ascites
- encephalopathy
- spider angioma
- GI bleed/varices
- malnutrition
- symptoms of alcohol withdrawal
Cirrhosis is found in 50-60% of cases of alcoholic hepatitis (4).
Differential Diagnosis
- viral hepatitis
- acetaminophen toxicity
- alcoholic pancreatitis
- gallstones
- Budd-Chiari syndrome
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is difficult and relies on a good history (1).
- History of significant alcohol intake
- Clinical evidence of liver disease
- Supporting laboratory abnormalities
- May be nondiagnostic in patients with mild disease or early cirrhosis
Work Up
Labs
- CBC
- Leukocytosis with elevated ANC
- Chemistry including magnesium and phosphate
- LFTs
- Elevated AST/ALT (characteristically >2:1 and < 500 IU/L)
- GGT alone is less reliable (low sensitivity and specificity)
- Coagulation factors
- Elevated PT/INR
- Lipase if suspect pancreatitis
- Consider hepatitis panel
Imaging
Consider transabdominal ultrasound if concern for:
- Biliary obstruction
- Budd-Chiari syndrome
- Hepatic or biliary neoplasms
Management
- Control of withdrawal symptoms
- Nutritional support for malnutrition: especially thiamine, folate, pyridoxine, magnesium, phosphate, glucose, and protein
High risk, severe cases
- Steroids
- Pentoxifylline
Prognosis
- Maddrey Discriminant Function score (MDF)
- Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score (MELD)
- High risk: MDF ≥ 32, MELD ≥ 18, or presence of hepatic encephalopathy
Disposition
- Discharge
- Mild disease/low risk
- Nutritional assessment and intervention
- Discuss alcohol use and recommend strict abstinence
- Admit
- High risk defined as MDF ≥ 32, MELD ≥ 18, or presence of hepatic encephalopathy
See Also
External Links
References
- O'Shea RS, Dasarathy S, McCullough AJ (2010) Alcoholic liver disease. Hepatology 51: 307–328. doi: 10.1002/hep.23258
- Privette TW Jr1, Carlisle MC, Palma JK. Emergencies of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2011 May;29(2):293-317, viii-ix. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2011.01.008.
- Amini, Maziyar; Runyon, Bruce. "Alcoholic Hepatitis 2010: A clinician's Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy." World of Gatstroenterol 2010 October 21; 16(39):4905-4912
- Basra, Gurjot,et. al. "Symptoms and Signs of Acute Alcoholic Hepatitis." World J Hepatol. 2011 May 27; 3(5): 118–120.