EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ALCOHOL-INDUCED LIVER DISEASE

Abstract

Excessive, long-term consumption of alcohol and its associated complications are among the most serious and persistent health and social problems in the United States and other industrialized Western countries. Alcoholism results in a variety of medical illnesses, including liver disease, pancreatitis , cardiomyopathy, neuropathy , and other central nervous system conditions. In addition, excessive alcohol use is considered to be the root of myriad psychosocial and economic problems. Alcohol-induced liver disease (AILD) includes a spectrum of histologic abnormalities, including steatosis , steatohepatitis , steatonecrosis , and cirrhosis . Substantial data support the correlation between per-capita alcohol consumption and liver-related deaths; however, other factors undoubtedly exacerbate the hepatotoxicity of alcohol. It is becoming evident that cofactors such as hepatitis C (HCV) and iron overload enhance the adverse impact of alcohol on the liver. Continued research is needed to provide a clearer understanding of the exact mechanisms of interaction between alcohol and these potential internal and external confounders and their role in the course of liver disease. This article reviews the primary liver diseases related to alcoholism, the relationship between alcohol consumption and liver-related deaths, cofactors associated with liver disease, the nutritional status of people with AILD, the influence of gender on AILD, treatment by liver transplantation, and the overall medical, psychosocial, and economic impacts of AILD.