Alcohol-induced lung damage and increased oxidative stress.
BACKGROUND
Alcohol-induced lung damage may be associated with increased oxidative stress.


OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to investigate alcohol-induced changes in the biochemistry and histopathology of the lung.


METHODS
Rats were divided into two groups, a control group and an ethanol group. The ethanol group received 2 g/kg ethanol (total: 3 ml) intraperitoneally. The controls were given the same amount of saline via the same route. Three hours later, the rats were sacrificed, and blood and lung tissue samples were obtained. Oxidative stress was assessed by measuring the levels of erythrocyte reduced glutathione (GSH), tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and Na(+)-K(+) ATPase. Histopathologic evaluation of the lung tissues was also performed.


RESULTS
In the ethanol group, serum and tissue MDA levels and MPO activities were increased (p = 0.007, p = 0.001 and p = 0.000), and lung tissue Na(+)-K(+) ATPase activities and erythrocyte GSH were decreased (p = 0.001 and p = 0.000) compared to the controls. Histopathologic examination demonstrated alveolocapillary thickening, alveolar degeneration, leukocyte infiltration and erythrocyte extravasation in the lungs of the ethanol group (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that high-dose acute alcohol administration aggravates systemic and local oxidative stress leading to acute lung injury, ranging from mild pulmonary dysfunction to severe lung injury. It should be borne in mind that rapid onset of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) may also be due to increased oxidative stress following alcohol abuse, especially when ischemic disturbances, e.g. coronary heart disease, acute ischemia of the extremities and traumatic accidents, are concomitantly present. Therefore, precautions against ARDS may prevent morbidity and mortality in alcohol-induced lung damage in at-risk patients.
Aytacoglu
B N
BN
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Mersin University School of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey. baytacoglu@yahoo.com
Calikoglu
M
M
Tamer
L
L
Coşkun
B
B
Sucu
N
N
Köse
N
N
Aktas
S
S
Dikmengil
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000431:Ethanol