Impact of alcohol abstinence on hepatic enzymes: A clinical analysis at the rehabilitation center of Kathmandu

Objective Alcoholic liver disease is a major cause of liver-related mortality, accounting for approximately half of cirrhosis-related deaths. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of alcohol abstinence on liver enzyme alterations. Methods This prospective cohort study was conducted over 8 months at Amrita Foundation, Kathmandu, and involved patients with alcohol dependence syndrome who had confirmed alcoholic liver disease. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. Result The study included 96 patients with alcohol dependence syndrome, of whom 72 were diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease. Age was positively correlated with alcohol consumption and duration of alcohol consumption. After 1 month of abstinence, elevated liver enzyme levels began to normalize, with alkaline phosphatase decreasing from 161.69 ± 79.084 to 89.90 ± 51.109, alanine aminotransferase from 156.60 ± 75.59 to 55.20 ± 25.944, and aspartate aminotransferase from 159.50 ± 72.959 to 62.20 ± 30.77. Bilirubin levels also decreased from 1.6940 ± 0.59 to 1.33 ± 0.445 compared with baseline values, indicating an improvement in liver function. The findings showed significant reductions in liver enzyme levels after abstinence (p < 0.001). Correlation analysis demonstrated strong positive relationships (p < 0.001) between pre- and post-abstinence levels of liver enzymes and bilirubin, with alkaline phosphatase showing the highest correlation (r = 0.94), followed by bilirubin (r = 0.87), aspartate aminotransferase (r = 0.84), and alanine aminotransferase (r = 0.78). Conclusion Alcohol abstinence resulted in significant biochemical remission in patients with alcoholic liver disease, as evidenced by marked reductions in liver enzyme and bilirubin levels within 1 month. These findings underscore sustained abstinence as a cornerstone of effective management of alcoholic liver disease. They also highlight the potential for liver recovery, the impact of chronic alcohol consumption, and the importance of rehabilitation support.