There also is evidence that blood concentrations of proteins (i.e., cytokines) that promote inflammation—such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF–α), interleukin–6, and interleukin–8—correlate with mortality in patients with alcoholic hepatitis (McClain et al. 1993), but levels of these cytokines are not determined in routine clinical practice. Here, TNF is linked to alcoholic hepatitis.