[Colchicine in chronic liver disease of alcoholic etiology. Double-blind, randomized study of its effects on blood levels of plasma proteins and clinical course in patients].
Patients with alcoholic chronic liver disease when treated with colchicine during a 12 month-period improved significantly the plasmatic levels of albumin and prothrombin when compared with a similar group of patients who took placebo. No differences in the mortality rate and in number of patients admitted at the hospital could be detected among those groups during this period.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical outcome and the plasmatic levels of albumin, pre-albumin, prothrombin and transferrin in patients presenting alcoholic chronic liver disease taking colchicine or placebo, during a 12-month period.


METHODS
In a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, 41 patients with alcoholic chronic liver disease were assigned to either placebo (20 patients) or a colchicine (21 patients) treatment group, assessing their clinical course (mortality rate and hospital admission) and plasmatic protein levels during a 12-month period. Albumin, pre-albumin and transferrin plasmatic levels were assessed through a immunodiffusion radial method and prothrombin time and activity was assessed by a one stage Quick modified method.


RESULTS
At the end of the trial, only 7.3% of the patients were lost during follow-up. No statistical differences could be found in mortality and number of patients admitted at the hospital among placebo and colchicine groups. Comparatively to the placebo group, a significant increase in the mean of percentage variation was found in patients of the colchicine group for serum albumin levels (17.9% colchicine x 3.6% placebo, p < 0.05) and for prothrombin activity (19.2% colchicine x 2.1% placebo, p < 0.05). A similar pattern of response was found in pre-albumin serum levels, but such differences were not statistically different. No differences were found in serum transferrin levels among both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that colchicine intake has a positive effect on plasmatic protein levels in patients with alcoholic chronic liver disease.
Parise
E R
ER
Disciplina de Gastroenterologia Clínica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina.
Chehter
L
L
Nogueira
M D
MD
Leite-Mór
M M
MM
Neves
J R
JR
Ciuffardi
G
G
Vilela
M P
MP
D000328:Adult; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000032:analysis; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
D012709:Serum Albumin; D014168:Transferrin; D011516:Prothrombin; D003078:Colchicine
Colchicina na doença hepática crônica de etiologia alcoólica. Estudo duplo-cego, randomizado, de seus efeitos sobre os níveis séricos das proteínas plasmáticas e evolução clínica dos pacientes.