Alcoholic steatohepatitis is defined as an accumulation of fat in the cells of the liver resulting from alcohol consumption. Approximately one-third of the patients who are diagnosed with alcoholic steatohepatitis are asymptomatic. According to MayoClinic, patients who are diagnosed with alcoholic steatohepatitis may not exhibit any symptoms until the disease further develops and the liver becomes more damaged.
Flulike Symptoms
Alcoholic steatohepatitis is a disease that may exhibit symptoms on a wide spectrum from mild to life-threatening. Many patients who are eventually diagnosed with alcoholic steatohepatitis commonly notice nonspecific flulike symptoms such as fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. The presence of these symptoms is not directly related to the presence of alcoholic steatohepatitis. Diagnosis of this disease is normally made when elevated liver enzymes are present in a patient's blood work.
Abdominal Symptoms
As the disease of alcoholic steatohepatitis progresses, an individual may begin to experience symptoms that are more indicative of liver disease. The individual may start to experience abdominal pain and tenderness. Fluid in the abdominal cavity, known as ascites, may begin to accumulate and cause the stomach to appear swollen and bloated. The liver may become enlarged, resulting in a condition known as hepatomegaly, and the liver may be tender when examined.
Jaundice
Jaundice is defined as a yellowish color of the skin and the whites of the eyes due to excessive bilirubin levels in the body. Jaundice can result from alcoholic steatohepatitis as the disease progresses and the liver function begins to deteriorate. As the liver function decreases, the liver's ability to process and excrete bilirubin decreases, leading to excessive bilirubin levels in the bloodstream.
Severe Symptoms
As alcoholic steatohepatitis progresses into more advanced stages, some severe symptoms may become evident. The liver eventually may completely fail, which may cause a condition known as encephalopathy. Encephalopathy may cause symptoms such as confusion, altered levels of consciousness and coma. Advanced stages of alcoholic steatohepatitis can cause an increase in blood pressure in the blood vessels that carry blood to the liver. The higher blood pressure may cause these blood vessels to burst and result in a life-threatening condition.
