title: The effect of acute alcohol intoxication on gut wall integrity in healthy male volunteers; a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: The aim of the study is to determine the effect of acute alcohol consumption on enterocytes. Chronic alcohol consumption has been known to induce a decrease in gut wall integrity in actively drinking alcoholics and patients with alcohol-induced liver disease. Data on the extent of the damage induced by acute alcohol consumption in healthy human beings is scarce. Studies show that heavy incidental alcohol consumption is a growing problem in modern society. Data on this matter may provide insights into the consequences of this behavior for healthy individuals. In a randomized clinical trial in crossover design, 15 healthy volunteers consumed water one day and alcohol the other. One blood sample was collected pre-consumption, five every hour post-consumption, and one after 24 h. Intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) was used as a marker for enterocyte damage. Liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) were used as markers for hepatocyte damage. Lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) and soluble CD14 (sCD14) were used as a measure of translocation. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) was used to assess the acute inflammatory response to endotoxemia. Alcohol consumption caused a significant increase in serum I- and L-FABP levels, compared to water consumption. Levels increased directly post-consumption and decreased to normal levels within 4 h. LBP, sCD14, and IL-6 levels were not significantly higher in the alcohol group. Moderate acute alcohol consumption immediately damages the enterocyte but does not seem to cause endotoxemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: W.J.J.de.Jong@UMCG.nl.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cleveringa
authors.affiliation: Department of Hospital and Clinical Pharmacy, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Greijdanus
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heineman
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hulscher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000378:metabolism*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C493319:FABP1 protein, human; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Alcohol; Endotoxemia; Fatty acid binding protein; Gut wall integrity