title: Vitamin B12 and hepatic enzyme serum levels correlate with interleukin-6 in alcohol-dependent individuals without liver disease.
abstract: Alcohol abuse is a major cause of liver cirrhosis as well as chronic liver disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible correlation, between liver dysfunction biological markers and vitamin B12, with interleukin-6, in the serum of alcohol-dependent individuals without liver disease (AWLD). In a sample of 43 alcohol abusing/dependent subjects (33 males and 10 females) treated on an inpatient basis according to a standard detoxification protocol, the serum activities of the hepatic enzymes (ASAT, ALAT, gamma-GT), as well as the concentration of B12 and IL-6, were determined on admission. A strong positive correlation has been observed between IL-6 and B12, ASAT, ALAT, and gamma-GT at the beginning of the detoxification period. The results confirmed that in alcohol-dependent individuals, the median serum concentration of IL-6, before the beginning of the treatment, had a significant positive correlation with the liver dysfunction biological markers and B12. In conclusion, IL-6 might be used as an additional diagnostic marker for the degree of liver dysfunction in alcohol dependent individuals.
authors: University of Athens Medical School-Aeginition Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Vas. Sophias av 72-74, Athens, Greece.
authors: Ioannis A
authors: IA
authors: Liappas
authors: Chryssoula
authors: C
authors: Nicolaou
authors: Stylianos
authors: S
authors: Chatzipanagiotou
authors: Elias O
authors: EO
authors: Tzavellas
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Piperi
authors: Charalabos
authors: C
authors: Papageorgiou
authors: Fotini
authors: F
authors: Boufidou
authors: Pantelis
authors: P
authors: Bagos
authors: Constantin R
authors: CR
authors: Soldatos
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D014805:Vitamin B 12