Search resultsImpact of moderate alcohol consumption on histological activity and fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C, and specific influence of steatosis: A prospective study
Title
Impact of moderate alcohol consumption on histological activity and fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C, and specific influence of steatosis: A prospective study
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2003
Authors
Journal
Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Volume
17
Issue
8
Pagination
1031 - 1037
Date published
2003
ISBN
02692813 (ISSN)
Keywords
Adult, age distribution, alcohol, alcohol consumption, Alcohol Drinking, article, chronic hepatitis, controlled study, diagnostic value, disease exacerbation, Disease Progression, disease severity, evaluation, Female, hepatitis C, Hepatitis C, Chronic, human, Humans, Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic, liver fibrosis, liver injury, major clinical study, male, medical record, Middle Aged, Multivariate Analysis, priority journal, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, sex difference, Steatosis
Abstract
Aim: To evaluate the effects of minimal to moderate alcohol consumption on the severity of histological lesions in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Methods: Daily alcohol intake (none, 1-20, 21-30, 31-50 g/day) and histological activity and fibrosis were recorded in 260 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Results: The proportion of patients with moderate (A2) or marked (A3) activity increased gradually from 53.8% in abstinent patients to 86.5% for an intake between 31 and 50 g/day (P = 0.003). In multivariate analysis, age > 40 years, alcohol intake between 31 and 50 g/day and moderate or severe steatosis were independently related to histological activity. The proportion of patients with moderate (F2) or marked (F3) fibrosis or cirrhosis (F4) gradually increased from 29.0% in abstinent patients to 67.6% for an intake between 31 and 50 g/day (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis also showed that alcohol intake between 31 and 50 g/day, moderate or severe steatosis and histological activity were independently related to fibrosis. The deleterious effect of alcohol intake on histological lesions differed according to gender. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that both activity and fibrosis gradually increase according to the amount of alcohol ingested, and that even moderate alcohol consumption, as low as 31-50 g/day in men and 21-50 g/day in women, may aggravate histological lesions in patients with chronic hepatitis C.