AVERAGE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL INTAKE IN PATIENTS ADMITTED WITH ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS IN INDIA: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY
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Abstract
Background: Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a severe inflammatory liver disease caused by prolonged excessive alcohol consumption. Quantifying ethanol intake is essential for understanding its clinical spectrum and guiding preventive strategies.
Objectives: To determine the average daily alcohol intake (in grams of ethanol) among patients admitted with alcoholic hepatitis in a tertiary-care hospital in India.
Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted over one year in the Department of Medicine. Seventy-nine patients diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis between October 2024 and September 2025 were included. Data on quantity and type of alcohol consumed were retrieved from hospital records and converted to grams of ethanol using the formula: g ethanol = volume (ml) × ABV (%) × 0.8.
Results: Of the 79 patients (72 males, 7 females; mean age 46 ± 9 years), the mean daily ethanol intake was 118 ± 52 g/day; median 110 g (IQR 80–150 g). Eighty-five percent consumed >80 g/day. Spirits (68%) were the predominant beverage, followed by country liquor (22%) and beer (10%). Mean duration of alcohol use was 11.3 ± 4.8 years.
Conclusion: Patients admitted with alcoholic hepatitis had very high ethanol consumption, exceeding recognized hepatotoxic thresholds. Early screening and community-level interventions are needed to reduce the burden of alcohol-related liver disease.
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Manmohan Krishna Pandey
Professor, Department of Medicine, Autonomous State Medical College, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, India
Purnima Mittra Pandey
Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Autonomous State Medical College, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, India