Alcohol, Gut Leakiness, & Liver Disease

The goal of this study is to investigate the role of gut leakiness in alcoholic liver disease. Gut leakiness may be the missing susceptibility factor that explains why some alcoholics develop liver disease and others don't. For this study, subjects 480 (240 male, 240 female, ages 18-80) will be recruited. Alcoholic subjects will be recruited from outpatient \& inpatient alcohol detoxification units from Rush, Loyola \& two halfway houses (one for women, one for men); patients with liver disease from GI/Hepatology Services at Rush, Hines VA Hosp \& Loyola University; and controls from hospital staffs. All subjects will fill out a detailed questionnaire, be interviewed by the study coordinator \& undergo an exam by the PI to ensure that all inclusion criteria are satisfied. All subjects will have a urine collection for tests of intestinal permeability (urinary sugars). Gut leakiness will be determined by the amount of sugars in the urine.