Dear Doctor:
My husband just received lab results back from doctor and he indicated the liver function test showed an "irritation". My husband drinks approx 2 liters of wine every sat nite and a few glasses of wine every nite during the week. Could this amount account for the liver function test, and can this amount of wine damage one's liver? He has to wait 2 weeks to go back (without drinking) to be retested and I can't sleep nites worrying that perhaps this can be something worse, like hepatitis. Of course after this scare he will never drink again, but the thought of the possibility of hepatitis is going to make this an unbearable wait. We have young children and worry they will be infected. Thank you for your time and any infor you might be able to give
gratefully, kt
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Dear KT:
Your husband’s "irritation of the liver", I interpret as abnormal liver enzymes. Given his alcohol history, with daily consumption of large amount alcohol , he probably has alcoholic hepatitis or
fattyXanthoma liver. Although the liver enzyme tests usually returns to normal range in weeks to months after discontinuation of the alcohol, some people eveolve into irreversible scarring of the liver.
You should also realize that other conditions can cause a similar elevation of the liver tests. Viral hepatitis and autoimmune hepatitis need also to be excluded. These conditions can be quickly ecluded by a series of blood tests.
This information is presented for educational purposes only. Always consult your personal physician for specific medical questions.
HFHSM.D.-jg
*keywords; alcohol-induced liver disease
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