Alcohol related liver disease – evolutionary aspects and complications

Abstract

Alcohol related liver disease (ALD) includes a series of liver diseases caused by excessive alcohol consumption, which start from hepatic steatosis, can progress to alcoholic hepatitis and culminate in alcoholic cirrhosis, which is the most advanced and irreversible form of liver damage. 74 patients with ALDstudy group (SG) and 34 patients-control group (CG) with non-alcoholic liver disease, hospitalized in the Gastroenterology department of MCH ”Sf. Arhanghel Mihail” were selected. SG was composed of 53 men (72%) and 21 women (28%), aged between 27-86 years, mean age 56±11.79 years; CG-15 men (44%) and 19 women (56%), aged between 20-75 years, mean age 58±12.89 years. The results demonstrated a more severe evolution in patients in SG vs CG in terms of clinical symptoms, laboratory values (with a statistically significant difference in RBC, HGB, HCT, MCV, neutrophil leukocytes, lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes, ESR, total protein, albumin, ASAT, conjugated bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, GGTP, total cholesterol, prothrombin, INR and fibrinogen) and the presence of infections: spontaneous bacterial peritonitis-29/1 patients (39.19%/2.94%), urinary tract infections-17/4 (22.97%/11.76%), pneumonia-12/0 (16.22%/0%). Alcohol consumption is a severe risk factor in the onset and evolution of liver diseases. Detailed patient assessment, monitoring of clinical signs of infection and early initiation of antibacterial treatment are essential to prevent severe complications.