COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF A PURIFIED AND AN ADEQUATE DIET ON THE COURSE OF FATTY CIRRHOSIS IN THE ALCOHOLIC 1

Abstract

The effects of a highly purified and adequate diet on hepatic function, size, and fat content were studied in 3 chronic alcoholics with fatty cirrhosis of the liver. None of the 3 showed significant improvement in hepatic function, size, or fat content during the 8-10 days of a purified diet, consisting of glucose and minerals with the addition of thiamine alone in 1 patient and thiamine plus multivit. in another. These results are in contrast to those obtained in a previous study in this laboratory in which 3 similar patients showed improvement in hepatic function and size while on a less purified diet. After institution of an adequate diet for 8-10 days, there was improvement in hepatic function in all 3 patients with a decrease in hepatic fat in 2. The 3d patient showed a significant decrease in fat in the biopsy taken aften 14 days of the adequate diet. The improvement observed was related to the provision of an adequate diet and that a subsidiary, if any, role was played by withdrawal of alcohol and rest in the hospital.