SERIAL CESIUM ANALYSIS IN ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE SYNDROME

Using inductively coupled plasma source mass spectrometry (IC-PMS), we have studied the red cell element concentrations of alcoholic patient s (with different periods of abstinence at admission to treatment prog ram) and 1 month thereafter. We found elevated red cell cesium levels on admission but not at 1-month follow-up. The elevated levels were si gnificantly related to mean corpuscular volume. These changes are cons istent with previous studies showing elevated red cell cesium in alcoh olic patients but do not confirm a persistence of this abnormality ove r time.