Table 2.

Infectious consequences in patients with ALD cirrhosis (abstinent and drinkers) and AH.

Parameter	ARLD-A (n=39)	ARLD-D (n=11)	AH (n=37)
Positive blood culture	0/39	0/11	1/36 (3) [1 patient excluded as data not known]
Microbial growth in urine (%)	0/39	0/11	1/37 [enterococcus faecalis]
Presence of CXR changes to support a diagnosis of pneumonia	0/39	0/11	12/37 [n=7 consolidation, n=5 atelectasis +/- pleural effusion
Bacterial peritonitis on ascitic tap	0/39	0/11	4/37 [n=1 had growth of Clostridium Tertium, n=1 had growth of Enterococcus Cloacae, n=2 had a polymorph count >250 but no bacterial growth]
Infection on skin swabs	0/39	0/11	2/37 [n=1 patient had fournier’s gangrene, with multiple organisms on swab, one patient had growth of Staph Aureus]
Infection on nasal/throat swabs	0/39	0/11	2/37 [n=2 tested positive for COVID19]
Infection on stool culture	0/39	0/11	1/37 [n=1 patient had C diff+ve stools]
Antibiotics (during hospital admission)	0/39	0/11	26/37 [16/26 were on antibiotics at the time of blood sampling]

Electronic patient records at University Hospitals Birmingham were reviewed to obtain data on the presence of infections (up to 6 months after initial blood sampling). Electronic drug charts were reviewed for evidence of antibiotic use. CXR, chest X-ray.