Mathur K, Vilar-Gomez E, Connelly MA, et al. - In patients with alcoholic hepatitis (AH), profound changes in lipid and lipoprotein profiles were evident, and these profiles can aid in prognosticating disease severity as well as mortality.

• From a multicenter, prospective cohort, 196 AH patients and 169 heavy drinker controls were included.

• Significant difference in lipid and lipoprotein profiles was seen between AH and heavy drinkers.

• The most significant reduction was in high density lipoprotein (HDL) particle levels in AH vs heavy drinkers (5.3 ± 3.4 vs 22.3 ± 5.4 µmol/L).

• HDL particle level in AH patients was inversely related to Maddrey's Discriminant Function (DF), and independently related to death at both 90 and 365 days even post-adjustment for DF.

• AH cases with higher 90-day mortality were identified by HDL particle concentration less than 3.5 µmol/L and total cholesterol ≤ 96 mg/dL.