EFFECT OF HEAVY ALCOHOL INTAKE IN THE ABSENCE OF LIVER-DISEASE ON BONE MASS IN BLACK-AND-WHITE MEN

Previous studies have shown that bone mass is significantly decreased in chronic alcoholic white patients, especially those with evidence of liver involvement. However, liver disease is an independent risk fact or for bone loss. In vitro studies have shown that alcohol has a direc t effect on osteoblasts. The effects of chronic alcohol consumption on bone mass in the absence of liver disease are not known. In addition, the effect of alcohol on bone in black alcoholic subjects has not bee n examined previously. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of prolonged heavy alcohol intake on bone mass in both black (n = 21) and white (n = 19) male subjects without significant liver disease. Bo ne mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and hip and various marke rs of bone metabolism in alcoholic subjects were compared with those i n respective age-matched controls (n = 16 blacks and 14 whites). Mean values for BMD of the lumbar spine, total hip, and femoral neck were n ot significantly different between alcoholic subjects and their respec tive controls among either blacks or whites. In white subjects, age an d duration of alcohol were noted to have significant independent effec ts on BMD, whereas in blacks, age was the only factor that significant ly affected bone mass independently. In the absence of liver disease, prolonged heavy alcohol intake results in bone loss in white subjects. The skeleton of black subjects may be less affected by alcohol.