Is alcohol a risk factor for liver cirrhosis in HBsAg and anti-HCV negative subjects?

Abstract: Background/Aims: in order to evaluate the association between alcohol intake and the risk of liver cirrhosis in the absence of B and C hepatitis viruses, we analyzed data from three hospital-based case-control studies performed in various Italian areas. Methods: From the case and control series we excluded HBsAg and/or anti-HCV positive patients. eases were 221 cirrhotic patients admitted for the first time to hospital for liver decompensation. Controls were 614 patients admitted to the same hospitals during the same period as the cases for acute diseases unrelated to alcohol. Alcohol consumption was expressed as lifetime daily alcohol intake (LDAI). Results: We found a dose-effect relationship between LDAI and the risk of liver cirrhosis (LC). Considering the extreme LDAI categories (LDAI=0 g: lifetime teetotallers and LDAI greater than or equal to 100 g), the EC odds ratio (OR) increased from 1.0 (reference category) to 44.7 (95% confidence interval: 95% CI: 20.0-99.9). An increased risk of LC associated with the female gender independent of alcohol consumption was also observed (OR=2.9; 95% CI: 1.8-4.6). Conclusions: Alcohol intake acts as a risk factor for symptomatic liver cirrhosis also in the absence of HBV and/or MCV infection. Besides alcohol and viruses, some unknown gender-related factors might he involved in the occurrence of the diseas

Epidemiologia delle epatopatie acute e croniche in Italia

Running head: Documenti elaborati dalle commissioni scientifiche (raccolta 1996-2001). - Printed from http://www.webaisf.org target=NewWindow>www.webaisf.org (February 2005)Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Biblioteca Centrale - P.le Aldo Moro, 7 , Rome / CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle RichercheSIGLEITItal

Diagnosis and treatment of acute alcohol intoxication and alcohol withdrawal syndrome: position paper of the Italian Society on Alcohol

The chronic use of alcohol can lead to the onset of an alcohol use disorder (AUD). About 50% of subjects with an AUD may develop alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) when they reduce or discontinue their alcohol consumption and, in 3-5% of them, convulsions and delirium tremens (DTs), representing life-threatening complications, may occur. Unfortunately, few physicians are adequately trained in identifying and treating AWS. The Italian Society on Alcohol has, therefore, implemented a task force of specialists to draw up recommendations for the treatment of AWS with the following main results: (1) while mild AWS may not require treatment, moderate and severe AWS need to be pharmacologically treated; (2) out-patient treatment is appropriate in patients with mild or moderate AWS, while patients with severe AWS need to be treated as in-patients; (3) benzodiazepines, BDZs are the "gold standard" for the treatment of AWS and DTs; (4) alpha-2-agonists, beta-blockers, and neuroleptics may be used in association when BDZs do not completely resolve specific persisting symptoms of AWS; (5) in the case of a refractory form of DTs, the use of anaesthetic drugs (propofol and phenobarbital) in an intensive care unit is appropriate; (6) alternatively to BDZs, sodium oxybate, clomethiazole, and tiapride approved in some European Countries for the treatment of AWS may be employed for the treatment of moderate AWS; (7) anti-convulsants are not sufficient to suppress AWS, and they may be used only in association with BDZs for the treatment of refractory forms of convulsions in the course of AWS