Title:Signs and Related Mechanisms of Ethanol Hepatotoxicity
Volume: 8
Issue: 2
Author(s): Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira, Teresa Magalhaes, Odilia Queiros, Jorge Brandao Proenca, Roxana Moreira, Maria de Lourdes Bastos and Felix Carvalho
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Alcohol, ascites, caput medusae, cirrhosis, dilated congestive cardiomyopathy, ecchymoses, esophageal varices,
ethanol, gynecomastia, hemochromatosis, hemorrhoids, hepatotoxicity, jaundice, nutritional deficiency, petechiae,
splenomegaly, steatosis, testicular atrophy, xanthelasma.
Abstract: Ethanol is the most abused psychoactive substance. Accordingly to World Health
Organization ethanol ranks among the top five risk factors for disease, disability and death (3.3 million/year) throughout
the world. This manuscript highlights and critically analyses clinical and forensic signs related to hepatoxicity of ethanol
that may lead to suspected of abuse. Namely, steatosis, jaundice, cirrhosis, hemorrhoids, esophageal varices caput
medusae, ascites, petechiae, ecchymoses, splenomegaly, hemochromatosis, xanthelasma, nutritional deficiency, testicular
atrophy, gynecomastia and dilated congestive cardiomyopathy are discussed and related to the toxic mechanism of
ethanol.
