title: [Alcoholic steatohepatitis: what's new in 2012?].
abstract: Alcoholic liver disease is a spectrum of lesions, of which the most severe is alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH). Recent European guidelines define alcoholic hepatitis as a clinical syndrome: the recent onset of jaundice and/or ascites in a patient with ongoing alcohol misuse. Next to infection, the most frequent aetiology is ASH, a histological diagnosis. In case of severe ASH, as defined by prognostic scores, a biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis. Non-severe forms of ASH may improve with interruption of alcohol abuse only; however survival of severe forms of ASH is improved by the association of corticosteroids and N-acetylcysteine. In case of uncontrolled infection, pentoxifylline may be administered. The Lille score, measured at the 7th day of corticosteroid therapy, measures response to therapy and guides the total duration of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Service de gastroentérologie et hépatologie, Département des spécialités, HUG, Genève. nicolas.goossens@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goossens
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ditisheim
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lanthier
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spahr
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hadengue
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D005235:Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011241:Prednisone