Alcoholic Liver Disease in the Elderly - 09/08/11
, Felix Stickel, MD bAbstract |
Although per capita alcohol consumption, and thus the prevalence of alcoholic liver disease, decreases generally with age in Europe and in the United States, recently an increase in alcohol consumption has been reported in individuals over 65 years. Reasons explaining this observation may include an increase in life expectancy or a loss of life partners and, thus, loneliness and depression. Although ethanol metabolism and ethanol distribution change with age, and an elderly person’s liver is more susceptible to the toxic effect of ethanol, the spectrum of alcoholic liver diseases and their symptoms and signs is similar to that seen in patients of all ages. However, prognosis of alcoholic liver disease in the elderly is poor. In addition, chronic alcohol consumption may enhance drug associated liver disease and may also act as a cofactor in other liver diseases, such as viral hepatitis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
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| Original research was supported by the Volkswagen Foundation, the Dietrich Götze Foundation, Heidelberg, and the Dietmar Hopp Foundation, Heidelberg. |
Vol 23 - N° 4
P. 905-921 - novembre 2007 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
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