Role of alcoholism in liver abscess

Abstract

Background: This retrospective study was conducted on 108 patients to find the role of alcoholism in liver abscess. Methods: The present study was undertaken on patients both male and female admitted in surgical wards of Chennai medical college & hospital. 108 patients were taken up for the study from the surgical wards of the hospital over a period of 1½ year i.e., from January 2013 to June 2014. Results: The disease usually affects the males in the age group 25-55 years, alcoholism is found to be the chief predisposing factor. Following alcoholism, poor economic status & malnutrition also plays a vital role as predisposing factors in the formation of liver abscess. Among alcoholism also, consuming locally prepared alcohol plays a vital role, but the reason is still been unknown. Though Alcoholism is a predisposing factor, it has no role in the aetiology and the liver function tests also did not show much alteration. Improvement in radio diagnosis helps not only in diagnosis but also in the management. In complicated liver abscesses, the most common complication was found to be pleuropulmonary, followed by peritoneal and pericardial. With abscess remaining confined to the liver the case fatality rate is nil. Even in complicated cases, the case fatality rate is low. Comparison of the results of our study with various studies which are done all over the world are found be coinciding. Conclusion: From our study it was undoubtedly proved that alcoholism, mainly consuming locally prepared alcohol plays a major role as a predisposing factor for the formation of liver abscesses that is both amoebic as well as pyogenic liver abscess because of the adverse effects of alcohol over the Liver. It is also proven that Alcoholism is never an etiological factor for the formation of liver abscess.

Evaluation of factors associated with complications in amoebic liver abscess in a predominantly toddy‐drinking population: A retrospective study of 198 cases

“…Unlike alcoholism and malnutrition (hypoalbuminemia), low socioeconomic status was not independently associated with complications of ALA. The following mechanisms have been proposed for the predisposition of ALA by alcohol: (i) alcohol suppresses the function of Kupffer cells, which has the important role of clearing the amoeba; (ii) hepatocyte damage by alcohol; (iii) hepatic accumulation of iron; (iv) the invasive capacity of EH is facilitated by alcohol; (v) nutritional deficiencies in alcoholics leading to lowered body resistance and suppression of liver function; (vi) alcohol depress activity of immunity; and (vii) entry of EH into the blood facilitated by dysbiosis of intestinal bacteria and alcohol‐induced intestinal hyperpermeability …”

Epidemiology and factors associated with amoebic liver abscess in northern Sri Lanka

“…Further, Raja and Karthick [ 16 ] suggested that the invasive capacity of E. histolytica is facilitated by alcohol which is harmful to the liver and by nutritional deficiencies in alcoholics, thus leading to a higher incidence of ALA in alcoholics. Further, they reported that duration and quality of alcohol consumed also play an important role in the higher incidence of liver abscess and therefore alcoholism is the most important predisposing factor [ 16 ].…”

“…At the same time, Raja and Karthick [ 16 ] further reported that though alcoholism seems to be the predisposing factor, it has no role in the aetiology.…”

The association between the lack of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities with intestinal Entamoeba spp infection risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Hence, the deficiency in vital body elements leads to malnutrition, which results in the susceptibility of the body against various diseases [ 92 ]. Raja and Karthick [ 93 ] demonstrated that due to nutritional deficiency, alcoholics are more susceptible to Entamoeba histolytica infection. However, since iron is a vital element for Entamoeba histolytica , iron deficiency in women who have regular menstrual blood loss could prevent the risk of Entamoeba histolytica infection [ 94 ].…”