From a population of 2,114 patients attending somatic outpatient clinics, 78 patients were selected who had either an excessive consumption of alcohol according to questionnaires or a raised gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) value (above 0.6 mu kat/l) due to alcohol. They had not undergone treatment for problem drinking previously, and had no serious alcohol dependence. They were thereby classified as excessive consumers of alcohol, and randomly allocated to an intervention (n = 36) or to a control group (n = 42). Those in the intervention group were followed up by a nurse once a month and by a doctor every third month for a total of 12 months. Laboratory tests were taken monthly. Consumption of alcohol, GGT and triglyceride levels, and sickness allowance days were decreased in the intervention group compared to the time before intervention. In contrast, the number of sickness allowance days in the control group increased. There was also a tendency towards a positive effect of intervention on the number of consultations made with a statistically not significant decrease of consultations after intervention. The study thus indicates that an early and relatively simple intervention programme for problem drinkers may be effective and can be carried out at a low cost and with a positive response from the patients.

Absenteeism↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) in a group of organized teetotallers.

Organized teetotalers were examined with regard to gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) in the serum. The mean values for GGT in the group of teetotalers (0.32 mukat/l +/- 0.23) was considerably lower compared with a group of the general population (0.50 mukat/l +/- 0.48), p less than 0.001. Only a few teetotalers had GGT values more than 1.0 mukat/l. A certain tendency to higher values was found among middle-aged men compared to women. No statistically significant correlation between GGT and age was found.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Neuropeptides in the duodenal mucosa of chronic alcoholic heavy drinkers.

Previous studies have shown that patients with chronic alcohol ingestion may show a variety of morphological and functional alterations in the small intestine. In this study, we have focused on the neuroendocrine system in the duodenal mucosa in chronic alcoholics; an area little studied. Twenty-three defined chronic alcoholics admitted to the hospital for detoxification underwent clinical examination, followed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and blood tests on average 4 days after the most recent alcohol intake. Biopsy specimens were taken from the distal part of the descending duodenum for both immunohistochemical and routine histological examination. The control group consisted of 25 patients referred for upper endoscopy mainly because of dyspepsia (ulcer, reflux type), but who were otherwise healthy. A normal carbohydrate-deficient transferrin and a history of low alcohol consumption (<40 g/week) were required for inclusion in the control group. The tissue specimens were studied using antisera for the following neuropeptides: cholecystokinin, galanin, gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), glucagon, motilin, neuropeptide Y, pituitary adenylyl cyclase activating peptide, secretin, serotonin, somatostatin, substance P, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and protein gene product, as a general marker for neurones and cells of the diffuse neuroendocrine system. The density of nerve fibres was evaluated semi-quantitatively and the number of endocrine cells per unit length of mucosa was counted in sections cut perpendicularly to the mucosal surface. All the different peptidergic nerve fibres in the alcohol group showed higher densities than the corresponding controls. However, this was not a statistically significant difference. A slightly significant increase (P = 0.02) in the numbers of glucagon and GIP cells was seen in the alcohol group. Gastrointestinal symptoms were frequently present (87%) in chronic alcoholics. We suggest that chronic alcohol consumption in man may have a general effect on the peptidergic nerve system and some endocrine cell types in the duodenal mucosa.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Surgical stress and circadian rhythm of cardiac dynamics.

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Blood Pressure↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Gamma-glutamyl transferase, intestinal alkaline phosphatase and beta-hexosaminidase activity in duodenal biopsies from chronic alcoholics.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) are present in the brush border of mucosal absorptive cells in the small intestine. There are few studies on the effect of alcohol consumption on these enzymes. Increased intestinal GGT in biopsy specimens from the duodenum has been described in chronic alcoholics. In experimental animals alcohol effects varies with duration of exposure and with nutritional factors. METHODOLOGY: IAP, GGT and the lysosomal enzyme beta-hexosaminidase (Hex) were examined in duodenal biopsy specimens from 23 defined chronic alcoholics and 33 non alcoholic controls. The results were correlated to serum GGT, alkaline phosphatase, CDT (Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin) and the villus index. RESULTS: Both the intestinal GGT (0.52 + 0.05 SEM vs. 0.30 + 0.024 SEM microkat/g protein, p<0.0001) and the IAP (22.11 + 2.49 SEM vs. 12.28 + 1.35 SEM microkat/g protein, p=0.0010) were significantly higher in alcoholics than in controls. There was no correlation between intestinal and serum alkaline phosphatase and GGT activity within the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic alcohol consumption causes increased intestinal GGT and IAP activity in man. No effect on Hex was seen. The enzyme activity in the small intestine did not correlate to serum enzyme activity or to morphological changes in the small intestine.

Adult↗