title: Does acute alcohol intoxication cause transaminase elevations in children and adolescents?
abstract: Several long-term effects of alcohol abuse in children and adolescents are well described. Alcohol abuse has severe effects on neurodevelopmental outcome, such as learning disabilities, memory deficits, and decreased cognitive performance. Additionally, chronic alcohol intake is associated with chronic liver disease. However, the effects of acute alcohol intoxication on liver function in children and adolescents are not well characterized. The aim of this study was to determine if a single event of acute alcohol intoxication has short-term effects on liver function and metabolism. All children and adolescents admitted to the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine between 2004 and 2011 with the diagnosis "acute alcohol intoxication" were included in this retrospective analysis. Clinical records were evaluated for age, gender, alcohol consumption, blood alcohol concentration, symptoms, and therapy. Blood values of the liver parameters, CK, creatinine, LDH, AP, and the values of the blood gas analysis were analyzed. During the 8-year study period, 249 children and adolescents with the diagnosis "acute alcohol intoxication" were admitted, 132 (53%) girls and 117 (47%) boys. The mean age was 15.3 ± 1.2 years and the mean blood alcohol concentration was 0.201 ± 0.049%. Girls consumed significantly less alcohol than boys (64 g vs. 90 g), but reached the same blood alcohol concentration (girls: 0.199 ± 0.049%; boys: 0.204 ± 0.049%). The mean values of liver parameters were in normal ranges, but AST was increased in 9.1%, ALT in 3.9%, and γGT in 1.4%. In contrast, the mean value of AST/ALT ratio was increased and the ratio was elevated in 92.6% of all patients. Data of the present study showed significant differences in the AST/ALT ratio (p < 0.01) in comparison to a control group. Data of the present study indicate that there might be an effect of acute alcohol intoxication on transaminase levels. The AST/ALT ratio seems to reflect the damage in hepatocytes after intensive alcohol consumption. The present study indicates a sex-specific difference in alcohol metabolism and effects between girls and boys: girls need less alcohol than boys to achieve the same blood alcohol levels than boys, and are more prone to loss of consciousness.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropediatrics, Austria.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Binder
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropediatrics, Austria.
authors.forename: Karoline
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Knibbe
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropediatrics, Austria.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kreissl
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropediatrics, Austria.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Repa
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropediatrics, Austria.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thanhaeuser
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pulmonology and Inborn Metabolic Diseases, Austria.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Greber-Platzer
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropediatrics, Austria.
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Austria.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jilma
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Vienna, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropediatrics, Austria. Electronic address: nadja.haiden@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haiden
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: AST/ALT ratio; Acute alcohol intoxication; Alcohol abuse; Alcoholic liver disease; Liver damage; Liver enzymes