title: Plasma-HDL-cholesterol and estimated ethanol consumption in 104 patients with alcohol dependence syndrome.
abstract: Plasma-HDL-cholesterol levels were determined in 104 patients (92 males and 12 females) with a mean age of 43 years (range 20-70 years). All were admitted to a clinic for alcoholics and had a mean drinking history of 13 years with a mean consumption of 48.2 l of pure ethanol per year. There was no correlation between HDL-cholesterol level and the total ethanol consumption in the year before admission or in the month before admission. However, weak negative correlations between HDL-cholesterol and smoking habits (r= -0.26, P less than 0.001) and body weight (r= -0.34, P less than 0.001) were found. In 40 patients the mean HDL-cholesterol level decreased from 1.94 +/- 0.75 mmol/l (SD) at admission to 1.29 +/- 0.36 mmol/l after 16 days of abstinence. Altogether, 33 (31.6%) of 104 patients had a HDL-cholesterol level above our reference value of 2 mmol/l while alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) were increased in 49, 52.9 and 70.3%, of the cases respectively. Although screening programmes have shown an association between plasma-HDL-cholesterol and the number of drinks consumed per day, no such association could be found in a sample of alcoholics. Decrease of HDL-cholesterol during abstinence, however, seems to be a marker in alcoholics.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Strømme
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Steensland
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bache-Wiig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001835:Body Weight; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase