Comparison of Modified Discriminant Function and Glasgow Alcoholic Hepatitis Score in Predicting One Month Mortality

Abstract

BACKGROUNDAlcoholic Liver Disease (ALD) includes a wide range of injury from reversible steatosis, steatohepatitis to irreversible cirrhosis. Alcoholic hepatitis is a very important entity, because severe alcoholic hepatitis is associated with a high short term mortality rate of 40-45%, which is unacceptable and has to be prevented. So far the severity of alcoholic hepatitis is identified by calculating 'Modified Discriminant Function' (mDF) score. This score includes only Prothrombin Time (PT) and bilirubin in calculating the severity of alcoholic hepatitis. MDF of greater than or equal to 32 is considered severe and treated with steroids and pentoxifylline. New scoring system 'Glasgow Alcoholic Hepatitis Score (GAHS) which includes age, white cell count, urea, PT and serum bilirubin level is used in identifying the patients in need of drug therapy.