University of Colombo
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Browsing University of Colombo by Subject "Alcoholism"
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Item Lipid profiles in alcoholics(University of Colombo: UC(MED)., 1988) PERERA, NSDThirty nine male alcoholics in the age group (41.3 ñ 8.3 years) with an average daily consumption of more than 60g of ethanol were compared with healthy subjects in the same age group. Venous blood samples were collected from both alcoholics and healthy subjects after 12 - 14 hour fast and the lipid profiles were determined. All biochemical tests done on alcoholics were repeated after one-two weeks of hospital abstinence from ethanol. Alcoholics were divided into two subgroups based on their liver histologies i.e; alcoholics without liver disease and alcoholics with liver disease. Serum total cholesterol, total HDL - cholesterol and cholesterol content of HDL - subfractions were determined by Abell and Kendall's method. The Serum HDL - cholesterol fraction was separated from other lipoproteins using heparin / Mn 2+ precipitating reagent. A double precipitation method using NaC1/Dextran SO=4 precipitating reagent was used to separate serum HDL3 cholesterol fraction. The serum triglyceride concentration was determined using the Hantzch reaction. The serum LDL cholesterol level was calculated using Friedewald's equation. As an independent assessment of alcohol consumption serum levels of gamma glutamyl transpeptidase wer also monitored. Alcoholics and healthy subjects did not have significantly different serum total and LDL cholesterol levels. Alcoholic without liver disease had a significantly higher (P \< 0.05) Serum triglyceride concentrations compared with healthy subjects. The mean serum triglyceride level of alcoholics with liver disease was similar to that of alcoholics without liver disease but the different was not significant. Significantly higher serum HDL cholesterol ( P \< 0.01 ) and HDL3 cholesterol ( P \< 0.01 ) levels were observed in alcoholics without liver disease as compared with healthy subjects but not in alcoholics with liver disease. Elimination of alcohol from the diet significantly reduced serum total HDL cholesterol ( P \< 0.01 ) and HDL3 cholesterol concentration ( P \< 0.05 ) in the alcoholic subgroup without liver disease but had no significant effect on serum HDL2 cholesterol concentrations. The change in serum HDL3 cholesterol concentration was directly correlated with the subjects alcohol consumption ( r = 0.38, P \< 0.02 ). A positive relationship was noted between serum total HDL cholesterol and gamma glutamyl transferase concentrations ( r = 0.32, P \< 0.05 ) while a stronger positive correlation existed between gamma glutamyl transferase and HDL3 cholesterol levels ( r = 0.45, P \< 0.001). These results suggest that the ethanol induced elevation of total HDL cholesterol is mediated through an increase in HDL3 cholesterol rather than through an increase in HDL2 cholesterol, the component which protects against CHD.Item A Study of thiamin status and thiamin dependent enzymes in alcoholism(University of Colombo: UC(MED)., 1987) RUVIN KUMARA, NKVMThiamin status was assessed in 42 chronic alcoholics and compared with 15 healthy age-matched subjects who served as controls. Transketolase activity of erythrocytes and its in vitro stimulation by thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP), the co-enzyme form of thiamin, was used as an index of thiamin status in both alcoholics and controls. Alcoholics had significantly lower ( p \< 0.01 ) transketolase activity than controls and the stimulatory effect of added TPP was significantly higher in alcoholics as compared to healthy subjects. The highest percentage TPP effects were seen in alcoholics with neuropathy ( 29.21 ñ 4.86 ). Thus many chronic alcoholics are at risk of thiamin deficiency and there seemed to be a relationship between the severity of clinical manifestations and the degree of thiamin deficiency. In some alcoholics with neuropathy the transketolase activity remained low even after stimulation with TPP. This is probably due to the inactivation of the apoenzyme by ethanol and its metabolites. Additionally, the elevation in blood pyruvate levels following a glucose load was also used to assess thiamin status. Alcoholics had markedly elevated blood pyruvate levels compared to controls. The affinity of transketolase for TPP was determined in an alcoholic with neuropathy and controls. Transketolase from the alcoholic with peripheral neuropathy had a markedly higher Km value ( Km = 1100um ) than controls ( 396 ñ 16um ). Therefore it is possible that variants of transketolase with a lower affinity for TPP may exist in susceptible individuals.