1. Liver biopsy, liver function tests, and nutritional investigation were carried out in 14 alcoholics. Those who entered the hospital with the complaints of liver diseases were excluded. Both fatty metamorphosis and fibrosis were observed in two cases, fatty metamorphosis in two, and fibrosis in one. Focal necrosis was noticed in two cases, and cellular infiltration in stroma in three.
2. Bromsulphalein test was abnormal in 38% of the alcoholics and in 6.3% of the controls. The difference was statistically significant. There was no statistically significant differences of incidences of abnormal values in icterus index, thymol turbidity test, thymol flocculation test, cephalin cholesterol flocculation test, Grcs's test, and urine urobilinogen between the alcoholics and the controls.
3. The intakes of protein and carbohydrate in the alcoholics were decreased and total caloric intake including calories of alcohol was increased as compared with those in the controls.
4. With regard to the relation between histological changes and alcoholic intake, all the cases who showed fatty metamorphosis or fibrosis had the history of drinking 6.5 go or more Sake daily for 10 years or more and their protein intake was less than 55g, and none of those who did not show fatty metamorphosis drank to such a degree. The more daily alcoholic intake and the less protein intake, the more frequently fatty metamorphosis or fibrosis observed.
Bromsulphalein test was well correlated with histological changes.
