No abstract

Background-Alcoholic hepatitis is a cause of major morbidity and mortality that lacks effective therapies. Both experimental and clinical evidence indicate that the multifunctional cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) contributes to pathogenesis and clinical sequelae of alcoholic hepatitis. A pilot study demonstrated that the TNFα-neutralizing molecule, etanercept, could be an effective treatment for patients with alcoholic hepatitis.

More than 100 supervised upper gastrointestinal endoscopies or colonoscopies are necessary to achieve technical competence in gastrointestinal endoscopy.

On an intention-to-treat basis, the 30-day survival rate of patients receiving etanercept was 92% (12/13). Adverse events that were encountered included infection, hepatorenal decompensation, and GI bleeding, which required premature discontinuation of etanercept in 23% of patients (3/13). This is the first study to examine TNF inhibition with etanercept in patients with alcoholic hepatitis and the results of this study support the rationale for larger controlled studies to further assess safety and efficacy.