Combined effects of alcohol and hepatitis C: a secondary analysis of alcohol use biomarkers and high-risk behaviors from two medication trials for alcohol dependence.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this secondary analysis was to examine the combined effects of HCV infection and recent alcohol use on baseline biologic markers of alcohol consumption in two outpatient medication trials for alcohol dependence. In addition, the relationship between Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and behavioral risk factors for HCV infection in these clinical populations were examined.


METHODS
Data (n=345) from two randomized, placebo-controlled trials of naltrexone and psychosocial treatment for alcohol dependence (Study I, n=212) and comorbid alcohol and cocaine dependence (Study II, n=133) were used to examine baseline measures of HCV risk behaviors (injection drug use, needle sharing), and biomarkers of alcohol use (AST, ALT, GGT and CDT) were compared by HCV serostatus first within each study and then across studies.


RESULTS
Although groups had differing sociodemographic profiles (as indicated by race, marital status, level of education) subjects in Study I exhibited no statistically significant differences from the Study II cohort in HCV prevalence (12.7 vs. 20.0%, p=0.07), lifetime history of injection drug use (13.8 vs. 22.0%, p=0.74), lifetime history of needle sharing (9.1 vs. 18.0%, p=0.62). As such, the data from both studies were analyzed together. Regardless of drinking status, HCV infection was significantly associated with an upward shift in the baseline level of ALT, AST, and GGT (p<0.006 for all measures) and a downward shift in baseline CDT (p=0.002). When using standard laboratory cutoff values to determine clinically significant elevations, HCV seropositivity was significantly associated with elevations in ALT, AST, GGT (p<0.001), and with decreases in CDT (p=.002).


CONCLUSIONS
These data emphasize the importance of evaluating HCV infection and HCV risk behaviors at intake in medication trials for alcohol dependence and also raise questions regarding the use of cutoff scores for ALT, AST, GGT and CDT levels as biologic markers of alcohol use in subjects when HCV status is unknown.
Center for the Study of Addictions, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States. address: plebani_j@mail.trc.upenn.edu
Jennifer G
JG
Plebani
Carlos F
CF
Tirado
Helen M
HM
Pettinati
Kyle M
KM
Kampman
Joseph R
JR
Volpicelli
David W
DW
Oslin
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D014168:Transferrin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism
D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D014168:Transferrin; C056759:carbohydrate-deficient transferrin; D009271:Naltrexone; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase