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Editorial
. 2015 Sep;62(3):671-3.
doi: 10.1002/hep.27852. Epub 2015 May 26.

Alcoholic hepatitis: Can we outwit the Grim Reaper?

Sakkarin Chirapongsathorn  1   2 , Patrick S Kamath  1 , Vijay Shah  1
Affiliations
Editorial

Alcoholic hepatitis: Can we outwit the Grim Reaper?

Sakkarin Chirapongsathorn et al. Hepatology. 2015 Sep.

Abstract

Whether you are an avid reader of the Book Thief or a fan of the Blue Oyster Cult, you know that messing with me is serious business. Be warned, that if you want to outwit me, you better come armed with the ability to predict your future.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Alcoholic hepatitis: SIRS, MOF, infection, and the Grim Reaper
Chronic alcohol consumption increases gut permeability and changes gut microbial flora resulting in high circulating lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which reaches the liver and the systemic circulation via the portal system. LPS stimulates the acute inflammatory response that manifests clinically as SIRS and can be detected by measuring LPS, C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin. SIRS is associated with infection in some cases and predicts mortality in AH in part due to “immune paralysis” (not shown) and MOF.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

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