Objective:This study was to explore the relation of genetic polymorphisms of ALDH2 and CYP2E1 to clinical characteristics of alcoholic patients and alcohol induced liver damage. Methods:The genotype and allele frequencies of 128 male hospitalized patients who met DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence were compared with 128 healthy male control subjects. The genetic informations of ALDH2 and CYP2E1 were identified with the technique of polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. The clinical characteristics of the alcoholic patients were assessed and analyzed in relation to the family history of alcoholism. For the relation of CYP2E1 genetic polymorphism to the liver damage, the blood levels of various liver function indicators such as ALT, AST, and protein were checked out. Results:1) The alcoholic patients with the family history of alcoholism had the earlier onset of age (p=0.001), the longer duration of illness(p=0.045), and higher NCA scores(p=0.018) than those without the family history of alcoholism. 2) Most alcoholic patients were homozygous for $ALDH2^*1$, compared to control subjects.(p=0.000) 3) There was no difference of CYP2E1 distribution between alcoholic patients and control subjects. However, alcoholic patients having mutant c2 allele showed higher alcoholism severity scores(p=0.004) and more hospitalizations(p=0.014) than those having c1 allele. 4) There was no relationship between CYP2E1 genotype and the functional abnormalities of the liver. Conclusion:This study suggests that $ALDH2^*1$ is highly related with alcohol dependence. Also mutant c2 allele of CYP2E1 is correlated with the severity of alcoholism and the number of hospitalization. But genetic polymorphim of CYP2E1 seems to have no relation to liver damages.