
Scientists have found more evidence that long-term heavy drinking can cause serious damage to the body, particularly the liver.
A new study from the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has revealed that alcohol-associated hepatitis, a severe liver disease caused by years of excessive drinking, can significantly alter proteins in the blood.
These changes may help doctors detect the disease earlier and monitor treatment progress.
Alcohol-associated hepatitis is more severe than other alcohol-related liver conditions like fatty liver or cirrhosis. It develops after years of excessive drinking, often involving more than a six-pack of beer, a full bottle of wine, or four or more shots of liquor per day for over a decade.
Sadly, about 10% of people diagnosed with this condition die within a month, and 25% do not survive past six months. Many patients are already in the final stages of liver failure when they seek medical help.
In this study, researchers analyzed blood and tissue samples from 106 people. Among them, 57 had alcohol-associated hepatitis, while the rest either had other liver conditions or were healthy. Using advanced mass spectrometry, the team measured the levels of over 1,500 proteins in the blood.
They discovered that alcohol-associated hepatitis dramatically affects these proteins, particularly those involved in inflammation, immunity, blood clotting, and liver function.
The scientists identified a key group of 100 proteins that were significantly altered in patients with alcohol-associated hepatitis. These changes closely matched those found in previous studies that examined liver tissue from similar patients.
One protein, HNF4A, stood out as a central factor in liver function. This protein is crucial for regulating liver genes and has also been linked to diseases like pancreatic cancer and diabetes.
One of the most important findings from this research is that these protein changes could lead to a blood test for diagnosing alcohol-associated hepatitis.
Currently, there is no simple test for this disease, and many cases are diagnosed only when liver damage is already severe. A blood test could allow for earlier detection, giving doctors a better chance to manage the condition before it becomes life-threatening.
The researchers are also exploring whether these protein changes could help track how well patients respond to treatment.
The standard treatment for alcohol-associated hepatitis is steroids, which help reduce inflammation but also weaken the immune system, making patients more vulnerable to infections. If scientists can identify protein markers that show whether a patient is improving or not, doctors could adjust treatments more effectively.
This study highlights the serious risks of heavy alcohol consumption and the urgent need for better ways to detect and treat alcohol-related liver diseases. As researchers continue to study the effects of alcohol on the body, their findings could help save lives by improving diagnosis and treatment options.
The research was led by biochemist Jon Jacobs and published in the American Journal of Pathology.
If you care about liver health, please read studies about simple habit that could give you a healthy liver, and common diabetes drug that may reverse liver inflammation.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about simple blood test that could detect your risk of fatty liver disease, and results showing this green diet may strongly lower non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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