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What is already known on this topic
Alcohol-related liver disease (ArLD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality.
Effective management requires multi-disciplinary input at every stage of the disease trajectory.
What this study adds
We present a typical case to illustrate current evidence-based investigation and management of a patient with ArLD.
This case-based review aims to concisely support the day-to-day decision making of clinicians looking after patients with ArLD, from risk stratification and fibrosis assessment in the community through to managing decompensated disease, escalation care to critical care and assessment for liver transplantation.
How this study might affect research, practice or policy
We summarise the evolving evidence for the benefit of liver transplantation in alcoholic hepatitis, and ongoing controversies shaping future research in this area.
ArLD is fundamentally a public health problem, and further efforts are required to implement effective policies to reduce consumption and prevent disease.
Introduction
Alcohol is the leading risk factor for premature death in young adults, of which alcohol-related liver disease (ArLD) is a major contributor.1 The management of ArLD often requires complex decision-making, raising challenges for the clinician and wider multidisciplinary team. This case-based review follows the typical journey of a patient through the progressive stages of the disease process, from early diagnosis and risk stratification in the outpatient clinic through to alcoholic hepatitis and referral for liver transplantation. At each stage, we discuss a practical approach to clinical management and summarise the underlying evidence base.
Case part 1
A 47-year-old man is referred to the general hepatology clinic from his General Practitioner with abnormal liver function tests, ordered in the community following several episodes of non-specific abdominal pain which subsequently resolved. He is now asymptomatic. The referral states that he drinks one bottle of wine each weekday night and more at the weekends. He is on no regular medication, has no other significant medical history and works in construction. On clinical examination, there are a few …
Footnotes
Twitter @jamesbmaurice
Contributors JBM conceptualised the original article and the case. JBM, ST and AZ drafted the initial version of the manuscript. JBM and ST contributed further editing of various sections. JR provided senior critical review and edited the manuscript. All authors agreed upon the final version.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
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