A prospective evaluation of mortality in relation to a broad range of alcoholic abuse and biopsy-assessed stage of alcoholic liver injury was carried out by following 315 men admitted to hospital for various medical disorders. During 10-13 years, 184 patients (58%) died, which, according to national mortality statistics, corresponds to a mortality ratio of 3.07. 43% of the excess mortality could be attributed to liver disease. Our results indicate that the alcohol abuse, irrespective of its magnitude and duration, is associated with a rather constant excess mortality and that the occurrence and severity of hepatic injury ranging from normal liver to active cirrhosis is directly associated with a subsequent liver-disease-related excess mortality.