PLASMA-LIPOPROTEIN ALTERATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATOCELLULAR LIVER-DISEASE RESULTING FROM ALCOHOL-ABUSE - EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL INTAKE CESSATION

Cholesterol and triglyceride in plasma and lipoprotein fractions and s erum apoprotein concentrations were measured in 51 chronic alcoholic s ubjects; 23 had minimal or mild hepatic changes (steatosis and/or fibr osis) and 28 had cirrhosis. Of the latter, 16 had stopped alcohol cons umption at least 3 months before the study, while the other 12 and all the mildly affected patients had continued drinking. None of the pati ents presented with cholestasis or alcoholic hepatitis. The control gr oup was composed of 15 healthy, non-drinking volunteers selected from the hospital staff with an age- and sex-distribution similar to that o f the alcoholic group. Patients with minimal hepatic changes had plasm a total cholesterol concentrations within the ranges of the normal pop ulation but with increased high density lipoprotein and decreased low density lipoprotein fractions. Total plasma triglyceride values were n ot significantly elevated but the distributions in the low density lip oprotein and high density lipoprotein fractions were significantly inc reased in patients compared to controls. This alteration was accompani ed by a consistent increase in serum apolipoprotein C-III concentratio n. Conversely, in patients with cirrhosis, serum concentrations of apo lipoproteins A-I and B were significantly lower and were reflected in the cholesterol concentrations in the lipoprotein fractions. Compariso ns between abstainers and non-abstainers within the group with cirrhos is indicated that cessation of alcohol intake was not sufficient to re ctify lipoprotein dysfunction following damage from cirrhosis. (C) Jou rnal of Hepatology.