Diagnostic stigmas of alcoholic liver disease

Abstract

Alcohol is a toxic substance that is associated with a spectrum of liver damage, including simple steatosis or fatty- degeneration of liver, alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is the general term used for this spectrum of alcohol-related liver damage. Excessive or harmful alcohol use is among the top five risk factors for death and disability worldwide, causing 2.5 million deaths and 69.4 million annual disability-adjusted life years. The diagnosis of ABP can usually be made on the basis of anamnesis, clinical and laboratory findings. However, the diagnosis of ABP can be clinically challenging because there is no a single diagnostic test to confirm the diagnosis, and patients may not report the extent of their alcohol use.