ETHNIC-DIFFERENCES IN THE BIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ALCOHOL-ABUSE - A COMPARISON BETWEEN SOUTH ASIAN AND EUROPEAN MALES

Twenty-two South Asian men and 32 European men who had abused alcohol for at least 1.5 years were studied at the time of admission for detox ification to an Alcohol and Drug Dependency unit. The self-confessed a verage alcohol consumption during the preceding 3 months was similar i n the South Asians (mean 383 g/day) and Europeans (mean 435 g/day) but the total duration of alcohol abuse was significantly shorter in Sout h Asians (geometric mean 7.4 years) than Europeans (geometric mean 13. 1 years). The geometric mean values for the concentration of carbohydr ate-deficient transferrin in the serum were similar in the two ethnic groups. However, the red cell distribution width, the percentages of H bA(1a+b), HbA(1c) and total HbA(1) in red cell lysates and the activit ies of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, aspartate aminotransferase and a lanine aminotransferase in the serum were all significantly higher in the South Asians than Europeans. The data suggest that South Asian men who abuse alcohol may be more susceptible to alcohol-related liver da mage and acetaldehyde-mediated haemoglobin modification than European men who abuse alcohol to a similar extent for a considerably longer pe riod.