| Subject: Moderate alcohol intake increases fibrosis progression in untreated patients with HCV infection |
Author:
J. Westin, et al
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Date Posted: Wed, June 12 2002, 3:30:42 PDT
In reply to:
Arch Intern Med 2002
's message, "Smoking and alcohol consumption are independently associated with disease progression" on Wed, April 17 2002, 7:52:29 PDT
Journal of Viral Hepatitis
Volume 9 Issue 3 Page 235 - May 2002
Moderate alcohol intake increases fibrosis progression in untreated patients with hepatitis C virus infection
J. Westin, L. M. Lagging, F. Spak, N. Aires, E. Svensson, M. Lindh, A. P. Dhillon, G. Norkrans & R. Wejstål
Although excessive alcohol consumption in combination with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is known to increase the risk of liver cirrhosis, the effect of moderate alcohol intake remains to be elucidated.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on fibrosis progression in HCV infection.
A group of 78 patients with HCV infection and moderate alcohol consumption were analysed retrospectively. All patients had undergone two liver biopsies, with a median time between biopsies of 6.3years, and had not received any antiviral therapy. Their lifetime drinking history was recorded. All patients except one had daily alcohol consumption below 40 g of ethanol (median 4.8g/day, interquartile range 1.1-11.6g/day) during the period between the biopsies. The patients whose liver fibrosis had deteriorated had a higher total alcohol consumption and higher drinking frequency between the biopsies. The degree of fibrosis progression was greater in patients with a total alcohol intake and drinking frequency above the median level for the group. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that drinking frequency and time between biopsies were independently associated with fibrosis progression.
Hence, even moderate alcohol intake seems to increase fibrosis progression in HCV-infected patients. From that point of view, total abstention ought to be recommended. If this is not achieved, occasional use of alcohol is probably less harmful than daily drinking for patients with low or moderate alcohol consumption.
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Low to Moderate Alcohol Intake Increases Fibrosis Progression In Hepatitis C
A DGReview of :"Moderate alcohol intake increases fibrosis progression in untreated patients with hepatitis C virus infection"
Journal of Viral Hepatitis
06/04/2002
By Anne MacLennan
Total abstinence from beverage alcohol should be recommended to patients infected with hepatitis C virus as even at moderate levels, alcohol use appears to increase fibrosis progression in these patients.
For patients unable to achieve abstinence, then occasional alcohol use is probably less harmful than is low or moderate daily consumption, suggest J. Westin and colleagues from Goteborg University and Chalmers University of Technology, Goteborg, Sweden, and the Royal Free Hospital, London, England.
Excessive drinking in combination with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is known to increase liver cirrhosis risk. Until now, however, the effect of moderate alcohol intake in patients with this condition has not been elucidated.
In this study, 78 patients with HCV infection and moderate alcohol consumption were analysed retrospectively and their lifetime drinking history recorded.
All of the patients had had two liver biopsies, with a median time between biopsies of 6.3 years, and none had received any antiviral therapy.
Except for one patient, all participants had daily consumption of below 40 g of ethanol in the period between the biopsies.
Those patients whose liver fibrosis had deteriorated were found to have higher total alcohol consumption and higher drinking frequency between biopsies than did the other participants.
In patients with a total alcohol intake and drinking frequency above the median level for the group, degree of fibrosis progression was found to be greater.
Further analysis (multiple logistic regression) showed drinking frequency and time between biopsies were independently linked with progression of fibrosis.
Journal of Viral Hepatitis Volume 9 Issue 3 Page 235 - May 2002. "Moderate alcohol intake increases fibrosis progression in untreated patients with hepatitis C virus infection"
Hepatitis C Outreach Project
www.hcop.org
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