Alcohol abuse is related to a wide variety of medical complications including liver diseases, pancreatitis, cardiovascular diseases, immunological abnormalities, malignant neoplasms, endocrine disturbances, and kidney problems. The liver is the organ most severely affected by alcoholism. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Korea. The mainstay of therapy for alcohol-related medical problems is cessation of drinking. This article summarizes alcohol-related medical complications and treatment with focus on alcoholic liver injury.
Alcoholics ; Alcoholism* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Drinking ; Humans ; Kidney ; Korea ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; Mortality ; Pancreatitis

Fournier's gangrene is a rare infection with high mortality rate. it consists of a mixed bacterial infectin of the skin, subcutaneous tissues and superficial fascia of the perinium and genitalia. Old patients especially with diabetes mellitus, alcoholism and maligancy are more affected. This disease requires prompt treatment: early diagnosis, broad spectrum antibiotic therapy, nutritional support and immediate extensive surgial debridement are necessary We report one case of Fournier's gangrene associated with diabetes mellitus.
Alcoholism ; Debridement ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Early Diagnosis ; Fournier Gangrene* ; Genitalia ; Humans ; Mortality ; Nutritional Support ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue

Emphysematous gastritis is a rare disease characterized by air in the wall of the stomach due to gas-forming microorganisms. This lethal entity was first described by Fraenkel in 1889. Forty-six cases have been reported so far in the literature. The predisposing factors include corrosive ingestion, immunocompromized state, alcohol abuse, cancer, diabetes and so on. Computed tomography is the procedure of choice for early diagnosis. Only prompt diagnosis and treatment can avoid mortality. Initial antibiotic therapy should cover gram-negative organisms and anaerobes. We report a case of emphysematous gastritis in a 41-year-old man with Klatskin's tumor.
Adult ; Alcoholism ; Causality ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Eating ; Gastritis* ; Humans ; Klatskin's Tumor* ; Mortality ; Rare Diseases ; Stomach

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired pneumonia(CAP) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recently, the evolution of drug-resistant microorganisms has become a serious problem in CAP management. Specific antimicrobial therapy is the cornerstone of CAP management. However, obtaining an accurate etiologic diagnosis clinically is not easy and empirical antimicrobial treatment is usually administered prior to the correct microbiologic diagnosis. In this study, the clinical usefulness of empirical CAP treatment was investigated. METHODS: A total 35 cases were studied prospectively over a 16-month period in Mokpo Catholic Hospital from Dec. 1995 to Mar. 1997. The microbiologic diagnosis was made by sputum, blood culture, a specific serum antibody test and an immunologic study. RESULTS: The causative organisms were isolated in 10 (30%) out of 33 cases: 8 cases and 1 case on the sputum culture and blood culture respectively, and 1 case by an indirect hemagglutinin test. 12 cases had underlying diseases: pulmonary tuberculosis 4, alcoholism 4, diabetes mellitus 3, and liver cirrhosis 1. Antimicrobial treatment was given empirically and all cases recovered. CONCLUSION: A definite microbiologic diagnosis before commencing the appropriate treatment in CAP is not straightforward. Empirical therapy according to a clinical assessment is important and helpful. However, every effort to make the correct etiologic diagnosis should be taken.
Alcoholism ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Hemagglutinins ; Jeollanam-do* ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Mortality ; Pneumonia* ; Prospective Studies ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

OBJECTIVES: Alcohol withdrawal delirium is a serious clinical condition with high mortality rate if not treated. This study was to examine whether readily available clinical variables can predict the development of alcohol withdrawal delirium. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective study by reviewing charts of 566 patients who had been admitted for alcohol dependence. The cases were divided into two groups: delirium group (n=40) and control group (n=40). We compared baseline characteristics and serum analysis data at admission between two groups. We used logistic regression to predict risk factors for alcohol withdrawal delirium among potential risk factors. RESULTS: The delirium group had significantly lower hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet counts, and potassium level than countrol group. Presence of previous withdrawal delirium history, AST, GGTP, and bilirubin level of delirium group were significantly higher than those of control group. Among potential risk factors, past history of withdrawal delirium, decreased hemoglobin, elevated bilirubin level, and number of previous detoxification were predictable factors of the development of alcohol withdrawal delirium by 72.5%. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the infomation obtained at admission can be useful to predict the development of alcohol withdrawal delirium. Also, it makes the individualization of detoxification strategies possible.
Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium* ; Alcoholism ; Bilirubin ; Delirium ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Platelet Count ; Potassium ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: Alcohol withdrawal delirium is a serious clinical condition with high mortality rate if not treated. This study was to examine whether readily available clinical variables can predict the development of alcohol withdrawal delirium. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective study by reviewing charts of 566 patients who had been admitted for alcohol dependence. The cases were divided into two groups: delirium group (n=40) and control group (n=40). We compared baseline characteristics and serum analysis data at admission between two groups. We used logistic regression to predict risk factors for alcohol withdrawal delirium among potential risk factors. RESULTS: The delirium group had significantly lower hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet counts, and potassium level than countrol group. Presence of previous withdrawal delirium history, AST, GGTP, and bilirubin level of delirium group were significantly higher than those of control group. Among potential risk factors, past history of withdrawal delirium, decreased hemoglobin, elevated bilirubin level, and number of previous detoxification were predictable factors of the development of alcohol withdrawal delirium by 72.5%. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the infomation obtained at admission can be useful to predict the development of alcohol withdrawal delirium. Also, it makes the individualization of detoxification strategies possible.
Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium* ; Alcoholism ; Bilirubin ; Delirium ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Platelet Count ; Potassium ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Adult ; Alcoholism ; epidemiology ; Biopsy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Singapore

Chylous effusion is an unusual complication of malignant neoplasm, usually lymphoma. In cases with cancer, the tumor was usually extensive, and the prognosis was invariably poor with a one year mortality rate of 80%. It was also reported that chylous effusion could also result from liver cirrhosis. The incidence of this complication was reported to be 0.5% in patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites. Here we report a case of 62 year old male with chronic alcoholism history who presented with abdom-inal distension and right cervical mass. He was subsequently diagnosed as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chylous ascites with liver cirrhosis and treated with chemotherapy. In spite of treatment, lymphoma progressed and the patient expired.
Alcoholism ; Ascites ; Chylous Ascites* ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Prognosis

PURPOSE: This study explored the lived experiences of Thai women in relation to alcohol addiction in treatment. METHODS: Twelve women aged 20 to 65 years, were participated. The participants were recruited from two special hospitals and one outpatient clinic in a general hospital. Descriptive phenomenology was applied to analyze the transcripts of the individual interviews. RESULT: The explored phenomenon of Thai women experiencing alcohol addiction included four essential aspects, (1) feeling inferior and worthless (2) feeling physically and emotionally hurt, (3) fearing physical deterioration and premature death, and (4) feeling superior and powerful. Through these different aspects of Thai women's lived experiences, the following essence was synthesized. The essence of the lived experience of alcohol addiction among the studied Thai women was ambivalence between feeling inferior and worthless and feeling superior and powerful when acting as a man. Drinking alcohol lessened life's difficulties and fears; for example, of violence, bodily demolition, premature death and marginalization from family and society. CONCLUSION: Thai women who experience alcohol addiction are treated with gender-related double standards when trying to undo gender traditional roles. Their marginalization from family and society deepens making them even more vulnerable to the positive side effects of alcohol drinking.
Alcohol Drinking ; Alcoholism* ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Drinking ; Female ; Gender Identity ; Hospitals, General ; Hospitals, Special ; Humans ; Mortality, Premature ; Violence

Necrotizing fasciitis is an uncommon severe infection involving the subcutaneous soft tissue, particularly the superficial and often deep fascia. It is usually associated with systemic toxicity, rapid progression and a mortality rate which varies between 20 and 60%. It can affect any part of the body but is most common on the extremities, especially the leg. Predisposing factors include diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, intravenous drug abusers, abdominal surgery, perineal infection. The prognosis for necrotizing fasciitis depends so heavily on early recognition and determination of the extent of necrosis. Whilist there are reports of acute renal failure occuring in the presence of necrotizing fasciitis, descriptions of the condition in patients with chronic renal failure are rare in the literature. Hence we report a case of necrotizing fasciitis, diagnosed by MRI(Magnetic Resonance Imaging) in chronic renal failure patient.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Alcoholism ; Causality ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Drug Users ; Extremities ; Fascia ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Leg ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mortality ; Necrosis ; Prognosis