2016 SURVEY ON ALCOHOL RELATED LIVER DISEASE ( ARLD) IN UGANDA.

The number of people (prevalence) who use alcohol was 26.8%

The number of people already with alcohol liver damage was 9.8%

ARLD refers to liver damage caused by excess alcohol intake.

ARLD does not usually cause any symptoms until the liver has been severely damaged.

7 signs of alcoholic liver damage:

1. Feeling sick

2. Weight loss

3. Loss of appetite

4. Yellowing of eyes or skin (jaundice)

5. Swelling of the legs and abdomen(ascites)

6. Mental confusion or drowsiness

7. Vomiting blood or passing blood in stools

ALCOHOL AND THE LIVER

Functions of the liver in the body:

#  Filtering toxins from the blood

# Aiding digestion of food

# Regulating blood sugar and cholesterol levels

# Helping fight infection and disease

Each time the liver filters alcohol, some of the liver cells die.

The liver can develop new cells, but prolonged alcohol misuse (drinking too much) over many years can reduce its ability to regenerate- hence serious and permanent damage to your liver.

STAGES OF ARLD

 Stage 1:  Alcoholic fatty liver disease

Drinking large amounts of alcohol leads to a build-up of fats in the liver.

  It rarely causes any symptoms and is an important warning sign that you’re drinking at a harmful level.

it is reversable if you stop drinking alcohol for some time (months or years) and liver returns to normal. 

Stage 2: Alcoholic hepatitis

This is a potentially serious condition following alcoholic misuse for a longer period.

It can also occur when you drink a lot of alcohol in a short period of time (binge drinking)

It is classified as mild alcoholic hepatitis (reversible if you stop drinking alcohol permanently) or severe alcoholic hepatitis (serious and fatal).

Stage 3:  Liver cirrhosis- end stage liver damage by alcohol.

It is generally irreversible but stopping drinking alcohol immediately can reduce further damage and significantly increase your life expectancy.               

TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF ARLD

1. There is no specific treatment but the main treatment is to stop drinking alcohol for the rest of your life

2. If someone is dependent on alcohol(addiction), should be taken to alcohol addiction rehabilitation centres

3. Eat a healthy diet that is low in salt.

3. Liver transplant if no complications of liver cirrhosis

COMPLICATIONS OF ARLD

1. Internal (variceal) bleeding especially in the oesophagus and the rectum

2. Brain damage due to hepatic encephalopathy

3. Portal hypertension and fluid accumulation in the abdomen(ascites) with associated kidney failure

4. Liver cancer

5. Low immunity and thus increased vulnerability to infections especially urinary tract infection and respiratory infections (such as pneumonia).