Drug addicts' liver

Aim. To assess condition of the liver in drug abusers. Materials and methods. Clinicobiochemical, immunological, virological and m orphological hepatic tests were made in 144 patients with different forms o f drug addiction. Results. Hepatic diseases are rather common in drug addicts. They have some specific clinical features: weak clinical symptoms and laboratory indicati ons, high incidence of viral hepatitides markers, repeated infection, initi ally absent definite evidence on immunological status disturbance, predomin ant morphologically inactive forms. Symptoms of hepatic disorders were foun d both in the period of active abuse and in abstinence. Conclusion. Young people with psychopathological behavior should be examine d and followed up for detection of drug addiction and concomitant liver dis eases.