[Late potentials in chronic alcoholics].
OBJECTIVE
Cardiac arrest is the most frequent cause of death in chronic alcoholics. Detection of late potentials in this population could be helpful in screening from early signs of myocardial disorders and identifying patients at risk of severe ventricular dysrythmia.


METHODS
A prospective study of late potentials was conducted in 53 subjects (mean age 49 +/- 10 years) with a history of long-standing alcohol abuse (mean 13.6 +/- 8.5 years, mean daily alcohol intake 86 +/- 30 g). After a period of abstinence, the following explorations were performed: liver tests, liver biopsy, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, Holter recording.


RESULTS
Among the 53 patients, 37% were positive for 2 of the 3 criteria for late potentials. There was a strong correlation between the duration of alcohol abuse and presence of late potentials (p = 0.006, r = 0.37). The percentage of hepatic steatosis was higher in alcoholic subjects with late potentials (34% versus 23%; p = 0.05) and was correlated with the number of positive criteria for late potentials (p = 0.05, r = 0.328). Finally, the presence of late potentials was also correlated with the following laboratory results: serum gamma glutamyltranspeptidase (p = 0.031), serum aspartate amino transferase (p = 0.033), serum alkaline phosphatases (p = 0.0025).


CONCLUSIONS
Late potentials can be detected easily although their prognostic value remains to be determined. They could be an early marker of infraclinical myocardial lesions.
Service de Cardiologie, Centre Hospitalier Général Léon Binet, Provins.
G
G
Pochmalicki
M
M
Genest
A
A
Jibril
M
M
Chatila
C
C
Boesch
M
M
Abdmoulah
J M
JM
Cayla
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography
Potentiels tardifs chez les alcooliques chroniques.