N-ACetylcysteine to Reduce Infection and Mortality for Alcoholic Hepatitis

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18 years or older * Clinical alcoholic hepatitis: * Serum bilirubin \>80umol/L * History of alcohol excess (\>80g/day male, \>60g/day female) * Less than 4 weeks since admission to hospital * Maddrey's discriminant function (DF) \>32 * Informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Alcohol abstinence of \>6 weeks prior to randomisation * Duration of jaundice \>3 months * Other causes of liver disease including: * Evidence of viral hepatitis (hepatitis B or C) * Biliary obstruction * Hepatocellular carcinoma * Evidence of current malignancy (except non-melanotic skin cancer) * Previous entry into the study * Patients with known hypersensitivity or previous reactions to NAC * Pregnant or lactating women