Cell-mediated immunity to acetaldehyde in alcoholic liver disease demonstrated by leukocyte migration test.

To determine whether a sensitization to ethanol metabolites occurs in alcoholic liver disease, reactivity of lymphocytes to nontoxic amounts of acetaldehyde was studied by direct elaboration of migration inhibitory factor (MIF) production. Eighteen alcoholics with various degrees of biopsy-proven liver damage showed increased MIF production in response to acetaldehyde; the mean value of the group differed significantly from 15 healthy controls, 15 subjects with nonalcoholic liver disease, and 15 alcoholics without liver involvement (P less than 0.001, P less than 0.001, P less than 0.02, respectively). Among the alcoholics with liver disease, none individuals (50%) with histological signs of advanced alcoholic hepatitis showed the highest percentage of inhibition of migration; the value differed significantly from the remaining patients with lesser degrees of hyaline necrosis in liver biopsies (P less than 0.005). These results indicate that acetaldehyde is involved in the pathogenesis of alcoholic hepatitis. Clinically, this test might facilitate the selection of patients with alcoholic hyaline necrosis.     

Plasma fibronectin and alcoholic liver disease

The authors examined, in 58 chronic alcoholics, the behaviour of plasma fibronectin, SGPT and seric albumin. Among the patients, ten were without liver damage while the others were affected with alcoholic liver disease at different stages, such as steatosis (12), steatofibrosis (14), evolutive chronic hepatitis (10), cirrhosis (12). The levels of plasma fibronectin appeared significantly increased in the cases with steatofibrosis, evolutive chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis; unimportant changes were noted in the cases with steatosis. SGPT always resulted increased, showing the existence of cytolysis related with plasma fibronectin levels, while seric albumin was constantly reduced with negative ratio to fibronectin levels, except in cases of decompensated cirrhosis. The authors believe that the monitoring of plasma fibronectin in chronic alcoholics may be a suitable means to reveal an increased liver fibrosis.     

Associated liver disease in alcoholic pancreatitis

Two studies investigating the association of liver disease with acute and chronic pancreatitis in alcoholics are presented. In a retrospective study of 50 patients, no clinical liver disease was found in 9 patients with acute pancreatitis, while 23 (56%) of 41 patients with chronic pancreatitis had liver disease by clinical criteria. Of this latter group, 8 were confirmed histologically; thus 19% of patients with chronic pancreatitis had biopsy-proven cirrhosis. Fifty alcoholic patients with pancreatitis were prospectively evaluated. All who had clinical evidence of liver disease were biopsied. No cases of liver disease were encountered in the 4 patients with acute pancreatitis. Although 28 (60%) cases of clinically diagnosed liver disease were present in 46 patients with chronic pancreatitis, only 20 of these seemed significant (cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, severe fatty liver), for an incidence of 43%. Thus, clinically significant alcoholic liver disease occurs quite frequently in association with alcoholic pancreatitis. This association is meaningful in more effective management of these patients in general and in preoperative assessment of the risk of surgery in particular.     

Alcoholic Liver Disease

Alcoholic liver disease consists of well defined entities. Fatty liver is the commonest hepatic abnormality in alcoholics and in most cases it is reversible. Possibly a sustained fatty liver occasionally may induce fibrosis. Alcoholic hepatitis or subclinical necrosis may also proceed to hepatic fibrosis. The latter can regress if no further injury occurs or it may develop into frank cirrhosis in case of continuing liver injury. A general model of alcoholic liver disease is presented.     

Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of alcoholic liver disease

Alcohol-related liver disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Alcoholic liver disease encompasses a clinicohistological spectrum, including fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and alcoholic cirrhosis. Fatty liver is a benign and reversible condition, but progression to alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis is life-threatening. Alcoholic hepatitis is diagnosed predominantly on clinical history, physical examination, and laboratory testing, although liver biopsy is often necessary to secure the diagnosis. The major focus of management is abstinence from alcohol, supportive care, treatment of complications of infection and portal hypertension, and maintenance of positive nitrogen balance through nutritional support. Corticosteroid therapy is controversial but should be considered in patients with a discriminant function greater than 32 and/or presence of spontaneous hepatic encephalopathy in the absence of infection, gastrointestinal bleeding, and renal failure. The only curative therapy for advanced alcoholic cirrhosis is liver transplantation. Several recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease may lead to novel future treatment approaches, including inhibition of tumor necrosis factor a, antioxidant therapy, stimulation of liver regeneration, and stimulation of collagen degradation.     

Ethanol and galactose metabolism as influenced by 4-methylpyrazole in alcoholics with and without nutritional deficiencies. Preliminary report of a new approach to pathogenesis and treatment in alcoholic liver disease.

4-Methyl pyrazole (4-MP, a specific inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase) reduced ethanol elimination by 30-50% and completely removed the ethanol-induced inhibition of galactose elimination in 2 control subjects. Ethanol elimination was accelerated in 2 alcoholics with adequate nutrition, but the effect of 4-MP was comparable to that in controls. In 2 other alcoholic subjects, who reported poor nutritional intake, intermediate rates of ethanol elimination were observed and 4-MP had almost no effect on ethanol or galactose elimination. These results suggest that alcohol abuse may result in an increased contribution to ethanol elimination by pathways other than that involving alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and that the decreased contribution from ADH, possibly potentiated by inadequate nutrition, may diminish the ethanol-induced shift in the NAD-coupled redox state. Since liver damage produced by alcohol abuse is believed to be related to changes from the normal redox state caused by ethanol, these results may explain why alcoholic liver damage is uncommon in alcoholics living on a marginal diet. Since 4-MP effectively eliminates the ethanol-induced shift in the redox state, a therapeutic trial with 4-MP in alcoholics with a high risk for liver disease is indicated.     

Alcoholic hepatitis with and without alcoholic hyaline.

Sixteen cases of alcoholic hepatitis with alcoholic hyaline (Group I) and 13 cases without alcoholic hyaline (Group II) have been collected since 1970. These were most frequently found in the fifth decade in both groups. One female was found in Group I. Cases of about two-thirds of both groups were comsumers of 110 g or more of alcohol per day. No significant differences except fever and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were found in clinical and laboratory changes between both groups. Fatty change in liver biopsy specimens were more frequently seen in Group I than in Group II. The wedged hepatic venous pressure was markedly elevated in alcoholic hepatitis with cirrhosis and moderately elevated in alcoholic hepatitis without cirrhosis. Wedged hepatic venography showed the main portal trunk and extrahepatic collaterals, namely, reversal of the portal flow or such tendency in 2 out of 5 patients of Group I.     

酒精性肝病 90例临床分析

目的:分析酒精性肝病患者发病情况及临床特点。方法:根据门诊及住院患者的饮酒量、饮酒时间、临床表现、肝功能检查、影像学检查、相应并发症、治疗等临床资料,进行分析和讨论。结果:酒精性肝病发病有增多趋势,长期饮酒史和AST/ALT、GGT、TBiL对酒精性肝炎的诊断有重要意义。A/G比值随疾病进展而降低。慢性病毒性肝炎的饮酒者预后差,死亡的主要原因是肝硬化的晚期并发症。结论:酒精性肝病病情和预后与长期饮酒史(包括饮酒量、饮酒时间)有关。对于有饮酒嗜好的病人,应对其进行健康教育劝其戒酒,并定期监测AST/ALT、GGT、TBiL等生化指标,及早进行治疗,改善预后。     

Alcoholic liver disease

Aggressive management to prevent alcoholic cirrhosis should include the use of biopsy results to diagnose and to monitor alcoholic liver disease. Guidelines for the interpretation of the liver biopsy are highlighted. The diagnosis, course, and treatment of alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis are presented in detail.     

酒精性肝病患者健康相关生存质量研究

目的研究酒精性肝病患者健康相关生存质量及其与疾病严重程度的关系以及对比酒精性肝病与慢性乙型肝炎患者健康相关生存质量的差别。方法 2010年12月至2011年10月收治的70例男性酒精性肝病患者(非肝硬化组45例,肝硬化组25例),56例男性慢性乙型肝炎患者(非肝硬化组24例,肝硬化组32例)以及42例男性健康对照组受试者参与试验。所有受试者回答SF-36V2(中文版)量表,通过SF-36V2软件计算出:生理功能、生理职能、躯体疼痛、总体健康、活力、社会功能、情感职能、精神健康共8个维度,以及躯体健康总评和精神健康总评。使用协方差分析对比健康对照组,酒精性肝病非肝硬化组,以及酒精性肝病肝硬化组健康相关生存质量;对比酒精性肝病与慢性乙型肝炎患者健康相关生存质量。结果和健康对照组相比,酒精性肝病患者随着疾病的加重,SF-36V2各维度评分明显降低(P<0.05)。酒精性肝病非肝硬化组患者较慢性乙型肝炎非肝硬化组患者仅生理功能、生理职能、活力、躯体健康总评四项评分轻度受损(P<0.05)。酒精性肝病肝硬化组与慢性乙型肝炎肝硬化组患者SF-36V2各维度评分相似(P>0.05)。结论酒精性肝病患者健康相关生存质量降低,且病情越重,健康相关生存质量越差。酒精性肝病患者健康相关生存质量与慢性乙型肝炎患者相似。     

Recognizing acetaminophen hepatotoxicity in chronic alcoholics.

Serious hepatotoxicity may develop in chronic alcoholics while they are taking therapeutic doses of acetaminophen. The mechanism of increased susceptibility involves induction of isoenzymes of the cytochrome P-450 system by alcohol and depletion of hepatic glutathione reserves, both of which can result from chronic alcohol ingestion and both of which affect the metabolism of acetaminophen. Chronic alcoholics with acetaminophen hepatotoxicity usually seek help after jaundice and clinical liver disease have already developed. At presentation, the blood acetaminophen level is often low or unmeasurable. Features that should immediately suggest acetaminophen hepatotoxicity in a chronic alcoholic include an aspartate amino-transferase level of more than 1,000 IU/L and, sometimes, a very long prothrombin time. The diagnosis can be distinguished from that of suicidal ingestion or alcoholic hepatitis by means of routine laboratory tests and a carefully taken history.     

Type IV collagen and laminin-related antigens in human serum in alcoholic liver disease

The two major constituents of basement membranes are type IV collagen and laminin. Specific radioimmunoassays are described here for two structural domains of these proteins (7-S collagen and the fragment P1, respectively) that allow the related antigens to be quantified in human serum. The serum 7-S collagen antigen was uniform in size, whereas the laminin P1 antigenicity was heterogeneous. These proteins were measured in sera from sixty-three alcoholics, divided on the basis of liver histology into four groups: normal light microscopy, fatty liver, alcoholic cirrhosis with hepatitis and inactive cirrhosis. The group with cirrhosis and hepatitis had clearly elevated values in both assays, differing significantly from the others. A few pathological results were also seen in the other groups. The increases noted in 7-S collagen concentration were larger than those in laminin P1. During follow-up of a patient with cirrhosis and hepatitis the 7-S collagen level in particular seemed to reflect the course of the disease. The elevated basement membrane protein concentrations in serum may be associated with the formation of real basement membranes in the perisinusoidal space, a process known as capillarization of the sinusoids which is found during the development of liver cirrhosis.     

Natural History of Alcoholic Hepatitis. IV. GLYCOSAMINOGLYCURONANS AND COLLAGEN IN THE HEPATIC CONNECTIVE TISSUE

The extractable and nonextractable collagen and glycosaminoglycuronans (GAG) were estimated and characterized in 32 dried, defatted human livers obtained at necropsy. 10 had normal livers. 22 of the 32 livers were from patients who drank in excess: 5 had fatty livers, 7 had alcholic hepatitis, and 10 had cirrhosis. Livers with alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis had significantly increased total and 1 N NaCl-extractable collagen. Only alcoholic hepatitis livers had significantly increased Tris-buffer-extractable GAG, but the amino acid composition of these GAG (proteoglycans) was no different from that of normal livers. The major fraction of these GAG had isoelectric pH (pI) 相似文献   

Localization of T and B cells and alpha fetoprotein in hepatic biopsies from patients with liver disease.

Peripheral blood and hepatic tissue T- and B-lymphocyte distributions, serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) concentrations, and hepatic AFP were studied in 46 patients undergoing diagnostic percutaneous liver biopsy. The patients included 26 with alcoholic liver disease, 13 with nonalcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis, and 7 with either normal histology or minor nonspecific changes. Serum AFP was determined by radioimmunoassay and hepatic tissue AFP by indirect immunofluorescence. Peripheral blood T lymphocytes were identified by the sheep red-cell rosette technique; and B lymphocytes by fluoresceinated anti-immunoglobulin antisera and IgG aggregates. Tissue identification of T lymphocytes was accomplished using an extensively absorbed rabbit antihuman thymocyte antiserum and indirect immunofluorescence; tissue B lymphocytes were identified using pepsin F (ab')2 fragments of rabbit IgG antibodies to human immunoglobulins. T lymphocytes predominanted in hepatic lymphoid infiltrates from patients with alcoholic liver disease (91+/-4%), whereas in patients with chronic active or chronic persistant hepatitis, viral hepatitis, or cryoptogenic cirrhosis proportions of T and B lymphocytic infiltrates were similar (50+/-15%). Hepatic tissue AFP was detected in 9 of 18 patients with alcoholic hepatitis; serum AFP concentration was increased in only 1 of these 9 patients. Tissue AFP was not observed in the remaining biopsy material nor were serum AFP concentrations increased. Peripheral blood T-cell numbers were significantly decreased in patients with alcoholic liver disease (P less than 0.01) and in nonalcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis (P less than 0.025). A close relationship between peripheral blood T-lymphocytopenia and hepatic T-cell infiltrates was observed in patients with alcoholic liver disease; this relationship was less apparent in patients with nonalcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis.     

Urea-cycle enzymes in normal liver and in patients with alcoholic hepatitis

Abstract. Urea-cycle enzymes and ornithine-ketoacid-transaminase have been measured in biopsy specimens of liver from healthy subjects and from patients suffering from alcoholic hepatitis. Both groups of subjects received a hospital diet of about 100 g of protein daily. Extraction of enzymes from biopsy specimens was performed by a standardized technique.—The DNA content of liver did not vary significantly between the groups, whereas protein content was significantly lower in patients with alcoholics hepatitis than in controls (p < 0.05). Of the enzymes tested, the activities of carbamyl-phosphate synthetase and arginase were significantly decreased (p < 0.05 and p < 0.005 respectively) in patients with alcoholic hepatitis. Activities of arginosuccinate lyase, ornithine-ketoacid-transaminase and ornithine-carbamylphosphate transaminase remained unchanged in both groups.—These results demonstrate that alterations in arginase and carbamylphosphate synthetase-activities in the liver of patients with alcoholic hepatitis precede the histological manifestation of liver cirrhosis, which is associated with a significant decrease in some urea cycle enzymes [3, 15, 16]. Therefore the determination of arginase and carbamylphosphate synthetase in needle-biopsies of human liver represent sensitive parameters of liver cell necrosis during the course of alcoholic hepatitis.     

1-14C]Ethanol breath test in alcoholic liver disease

The activity of ethanol metabolising enzymes was assessed in 51 patients with alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease using tracer doses of [1-14C]ethanol and measuring 14CO2 excretion in the breath. Alcoholic patients with only fatty infiltration of the liver showed significantly increased activity compared with controls. Comparing alcoholic patients with cirrhosis and a serum albumin greater than 28 g/l, activity in those with a recent history of continued heavy drinking was significantly greater than in patients who had abstained from alcohol. In addition, both groups of alcoholic cirrhosis showed significantly more activity than patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis. The activities of patients with acute alcoholic or viral hepatitis were normal when their prothrombin times were less than 7 sec prolonged, but were reduced when prolongation exceeded 7 sec. These results demonstrate that in chronic alcoholic liver disease, even with cirrhosis, alcohol can still increase the activity of ethanol oxidising enzymes provided hepatic function remains adequate. However, this response is lost in acute liver damage and in chronic alcoholic disease with severe hepatic dysfunction.     

酒精性肝病患者血清TGF-β、IL-6和IL-8水平及临床意义

目的探讨酒精性肝病患者血清转化生长因子（transforming growth factor-β,TGF-β）白细胞介素-6（inter-leukin-6,IL-6）和白细胞介素-8（interleukin-8,IL-8）在酒精性肝病中的作用。方法 60例酒精性肝病患者按酒精性脂肪肝（n=20）、酒精性肝炎（n=20）和酒精性肝硬化（n=20）分为3组。采用ELISA法检测20例健康对照组和60例各类酒精性肝病患者血清中TGF-β、IL-6和IL-8水平。结果血清TGF-β、IL-6和IL-8水平随着肝脏病变程度加重而递增,酒精性脂肪肝组、酒精性肝炎组和酒精性肝硬化组3项指标水平均高于正常对照组,差异显著（P〈0.01）,其中以酒精性肝硬化组3项指标水平为最高。结论 TGF-β、IL-6和IL-8在酒精性肝病中具有重要作用,酒精性肝病患者血清TGF-β、IL-6和IL-8水平的检测可作为酒精性肝病病情监测和预后判断的有效指标。     

gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase activity in liver disease: serum elevation is independent of hepatic GGTP activity

gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase activity was measured in liver and serum from 110 patients undergoing diagnostic liver biopsy, including patients with alcoholic liver disease, fatty liver not due to alcohol, primary biliary cirrhosis, persistent hepatic disease, chronic active hepatitis and normal livers. Serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase was markedly elevated in patients with alcoholic liver disease and primary biliary cirrhosis while mean hepatic gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity was significantly increased only in the alcoholic liver disease group. There was considerable overlap of individual enzyme values among the different disease groups. There was no inhibitors or activators of liver gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in any of these disorders. The increased liver activity was not related to the degree of hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis. There was no correlation between hepatic and serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity. Hepatic and serum gamma activities were equally increased in individuals with alcoholic liver disease whether or not they were drinking at the time of the study. The data suggest that increased hepatic gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity is neither specific for alcoholic liver disease nor essential for serum GGTP to be elevated.     

Red blood cell status in alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease.

Macrocytosis is most commonly associated with vitamin B(12) and folic acid deficiency, followed by alcoholism, liver disease, and other pathologic conditions. We studied the red cell and vitamin status in 423 consecutive patients with various liver diseases, including 31 with acute viral hepatitis (AVH), 105 with chronic hepatitis (CH), and 134 with alcoholic liver disease (ALD), who consisted of 84 with non-cirrhotic alcoholic liver disease (NCALD) and 50 with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC), 60 with non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis (NALC), and 93 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and red cell distribution width (RDW) were significantly higher in patients with ALD and NALC, and among them macrocytosis occurred more frequently in patients with ALC. Macrocytic anemia was mostly found in cirrhotic patients, in which the Child-Pugh score was closely related to the development of macrocytic anemia. In ALD, the MCV was significantly correlated with the estimated alcohol consumption and inversely correlated with the serum folic acid level, which, however, was often maintained within the normal range in patients with macrocytic ALC. After abstinence from alcohol, the MCV and RDW were reduced significantly and were associated with an increasing serum folic acid level. This suggests that macrocytic anemia was a common feature of alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis and that alcohol abuse and folic acid deficiency play a secondary role in macrocytosis.     

Use of the triolein breath test in alcoholics with liver damage

The triolein breath test (TBT) is a simple, noninvasive technique for the evaluation of steatorrhea. However, because it depends on intermediary hepatic processes, and because both liver damage and pancreatic dysfunction often co-exist in the alcoholic, the overall usefulness of the test in patients with liver injury was reassessed. We found that even in the absence of steatorrhea, a majority of patients with advanced liver injury (alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, or both) had abnormal TBT results that failed to correct with pancreatic extract. In contrast, patients with less severe lesions (steatosis) had results that were not significantly different from those in normal controls. Inasmuch as the abnormal TBT results in patients with advanced alcohol-induced lesions did not correct with pancreatic extract, the test may not accurately differentiate pancreatic from nonpancreatic steatorrhea in some alcoholics.