Mann Robert E, Smart Reginald G, Govoni Richard
Department of Social, Prevention and Health Policy Research at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
Alcohol Res Health. 2003;27(3):209-19.
This article describes the various forms of alcoholic liver disease (ALD), with particular emphasis on cirrhosis, the form of liver disease that often is most associated with alcohol abuse and about which the most information is available. Epidemiological research has evaluated the prevalence of ALD and the factors that often contribute to the disease. Although the most potent factor in ALD is the excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, gender and ethnic differences also account for some important variations in rates of liver disease. Mortality rates from cirrhosis have declined in the United States and some other countries since the 1970s. A number of factors may have contributed to this decline, including increased participation in treatment for alcohol problems and Alcoholics Anonymous membership, decreases in alcohol consumption, and changes in the consumption of certain types of alcoholic beverages.
本文描述了酒精性肝病（ALD）的各种形式，尤其着重于肝硬化，这是一种常与酒精滥用关联最大且相关信息最多的肝病形式。流行病学研究评估了ALD的患病率以及常常导致该疾病的因素。尽管ALD中最有力的因素是酒精饮料的过度消费，但性别和种族差异也造成了肝病发病率的一些重要变化。自20世纪70年代以来，美国和其他一些国家肝硬化的死亡率有所下降。多种因素可能促成了这种下降，包括酒精问题治疗参与度的提高、戒酒互助会会员人数的增加、酒精消费量的减少以及某些类型酒精饮料消费情况的变化。
