New Approaches to Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis

Abstract

Severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (SAH) remains a difficult-to-treat severe liver ailment with limited therapeutic options and high mortality. The article reviews new data to help identify the steroid non-responders at the baseline to reduce the risk of infections and increased mortality. New information on the use of growth factors, such as granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, plasma exchange, and fecal microbiota transplantation, has been provided to choose as a monotherapy or with steroids for SAH. Early selection for liver transplantation after careful ethical considerations and risks of recidivism post-transplant can help improve survival upto 70% to 80%.

Keywords: Alcoholic cirrhosis; Alcoholic hepatitis; Fecal microbiota transplantation; Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor; Portal hypertension; Variceal bleeding.