[Management of alcoholic hepatitis].

Alcoholic hepatitis is a severe form of alcoholic liver disease. Diagnosis is based on the association of new onset of jaundice and a compatible liver biopsy. Alcoholic hepatitis is severe when the Maddrey is up to 32 and, in this case, is associated with a mortality of 40-50% at 2 months. Corticosteroids improve survival of patients suffering from severe alcoholic hepatitis. The decrease of total bilirubin at day 7 of treatment and the Lille score are markers of response to corticosteroids. The absence of response is associated with a dramatic outcome (mortality rate of 75% at 6 months). Liver transplantation could be an alternative in a strictly selected group of non-responders.