Alcoholic hepatitis

Abstract

Alcoholic hepatitis is a form of hepatic injury that carries a significant morbidity and mortality. The clinical presentation is that of fatigue, malaise, and jaundice in individuals who have abused excessive quantities of alcohol. Severity at presentation, traditionally calculated using the Maddrey Discriminant Function, determines outcome; the short-term mortality can be exceptionally high, with many persons dying within 1 month of hospitalization. This article summarizes the epidemiology, pathogenesis, pathology, and clinical features of alcoholic hepatitis. Prognostic scoring systems and therapeutic options receive special emphasis.