Alcoholic Liver Disease

Physicians at the University of Chicago Medicine Center for Liver Diseases offer the latest innovative treatments for alcoholic liver disease, including liver transplantation for patients who may not have had this option in the past. Our liver transplant experts understand the complex medical and psychological needs of patients with alcoholic liver disease and work together with social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists to ensure you receive the highest level of personalized care and support.

What is Alcoholic Liver Disease?

Alcohol-induced liver disease is a term used to describe a liver that has been damaged by over-use of alcohol. It’s the liver’s job to break down alcohol, but if you consume more than your liver can process, you can seriously damage it. Patients can go through three stages of the disease:

The first step is the build-up of fat inside the liver cells. A fatty liver leads to an enlarged liver. It’s important not to confuse this with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, where patients have a build-up of fat in the liver without a history of alcohol use. Fat in the liver is usually reversible if you stop drinking.
Alcoholic hepatitis is a serious condition in which your liver becomes extremely inflamed, which can lead to multiple organs failing. If caught early enough, alcoholic hepatitis can be reversed if you permanently stop drinking alcohol.
Alcoholic cirrhosis is an advanced stage of liver disease that occurs when your liver tissue becomes scarred. As the scarring replaces healthy tissue, it becomes increasingly difficult for your liver to work properly. Abstinence can stop the progression of scarring and slow down the side effects, but cirrhosis cannot be reversed.

Treating Alcoholic Liver Disease

The most important part of treating alcoholic liver disease is to permanently stop all alcohol consumption. Your health care team can help you find programs to support you on this critical undertaking, including both inpatient and outpatient treatment programs at UChicago Medicine. Additionally, treatment for alcoholic liver disease may involve:

Taking medications to prevent your craving for alcohol
Eating healthy, well-balanced meals
Receiving a liver transplant

Frequently Asked Questions about Alcoholic Liver Disease

What are the signs and symptoms of alcoholic liver disease?

Depending on the condition you have, the signs and symptoms for alcoholic liver disease vary. You may not have any until your liver is badly damaged. The most common ones are:

Fatty liver

may cause no symptoms
belly discomfort
fatigue and weakness
weight loss

Alcoholic hepatitis

abdominal pain
loss of appetite
nausea, vomiting
yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)
tea-colored urine

Alcoholic cirrhosis

all symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis
enlarged spleen
loss of muscle mass
black stools
vomiting blood
kidney failure
swollen belly
changes in thought or mood, such as confusion or irritability
liver cancer

What causes alcoholic liver disease?

How is alcoholic liver disease diagnosed?

Your doctor will do a complete health history and physical exam. In order to accurately diagnose your specific illness, it’s important that you share openly with your doctor about your alcohol use. Other tests used to diagnose alcohol-induced liver disease include:

Blood tests, including liver function tests, to see whether your liver is working the way it should.
A liver biopsy involves removing small tissue samples from the liver with a needle, then checking these samples under a microscope to diagnose the type of liver disease.
Imaging. Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to create a picture of your liver. CT scans use X-rays to produce detailed images, while MRI uses a magnetic field and radio frequency pulses to produce comprehensive pictures of your liver.

What treatments are available for people who have alcoholic liver disease?

The most important treatment you can undertake is to permanently stop drinking alcohol to give your liver the chance to rest and heal as much as possible. Depending on the severity of damage to your liver and your specific illness, your treatment may involve:

Taking medications, such as steroids
Eating well-balanced meals and taking vitamin supplements to replenish the nutrients in your body that have been depleted by heavy alcohol use
Receiving a liver transplantation

Dr. Fung and Dr. Charlton, co-directors of the transplant institute

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