BACKGROUND/AIMS: Oxidative stress is putatively involved in the pathogenesis of alcohol-
induced liver injury. This trial was devised to determine whether antioxidant therapy, alone
or as an adjunct to corticosteroids, improved survival in patients with acute alcoholic
hepatitis. METHODS: Patients with a severe alcoholic hepatitis were stratified by sex and
steroid use, and then randomized. The active group received N-acetylcysteine for one week,
and vitamins A–E, biotin, selenium, zinc, manganese, copper, magnesium, folic acid and …