Decreased muscle strength and contents of Mg and Na,K-pumps in chronic alcoholics occur independently of liver cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of established liver cirrhosis on muscle strength and muscle contents of magnesium (Mg), potassium (K) and sodium, potassium pumps (Na,K-pumps) in chronic alcoholic patients.


METHODS
An open cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Forty consecutive chronic alcoholics (18 with cirrhosis and 22 without cirrhosis) admitted to the Department of Hepatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, or to a collaborating alcoholism treatment centre, and 36 healthy control subjects.


METHODS
Evaluation of participant's subjective physical ability and measurement of maximum isokinetic muscle strength and muscle mass, as well as measurements of Mg, K and Na,K-pumps in skeletal muscle.


RESULTS
Maximum isokinetic muscle strength and muscle mass were equally reduced in patients with and without cirrhosis (P < 0.01 all). In keeping with this, both groups of patients felt equally physically restricted. Muscle Mg was reduced to the same extent in the two groups of patients (by 12 and 9%, P < 0.001, both), whereas the muscle K content was only significantly lower in the cirrhotic patients (10%, P < 0.001). The muscle content of Na,K-pumps was reduced by 14%, (P < 0.01) in the cirrhotic patients and by 8% (P < 0.05) in the noncirrhotic patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our alcoholic patients complained of physical disability, had reduced skeletal muscle mass, isokinetic muscle strength, content of muscle Mg and content of Na,K-pumps. There was no difference between patients with and without cirrhosis. It appears that it is the heavy alcohol intake, and not the cirrhosis per se, that is responsible for the observed defects.
Aagaard
N K
NK
Department of Medicine V (Hepatology and Gastroenterology), Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. niels@akh.aaa.dk
Andersen
H
H
Vilstrup
H
H
Clausen
T
T
Jakobsen
J
J
Dørup
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology; D007551:Isotonic Contraction; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000032:analysis*
D007473:Ion Channels; D012964:Sodium; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium