Among patients hospitalized with alcohol-associated hepatitis (AAH), certain factors could signal high infection risk, suggests a retrospective cohort study.

Investigators evaluated the outcomes of around 300 patients hospitalized for AAH over the past 2 decades. It was noted that ascites at the time of admission (HR 2.06, 95% CI 1.26-3.36) and corticosteroid use (HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.05-2.75) were significant risk factors for a bacterial infection. Additionally, higher Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores (HR 1.05 per point, 95% CI 1.02-1.09) and white blood cell count (WBC) at the time of admission (HR 1.02 per unit, 95% CI 1.00-1.05) also predicted infection risk to a significant level. The findings are published in Hepatology Communications… (Medpage Today)