Immunological parameters in patients suffering from alcohol-dependence syndrome

Alcohol abuse is a major cause of abnormal liver development and activity. In addition to enzymatic malfunction, alcohol and its metabolites induce ch anges in the levels of some liver antigens, resulting in immunological dist urbance. The purpose of the present study is to correlate the severity of L iver function impairment with the length of alcohol abuse, in order to be a ble to use such tests as indicative of the severity of Alcohol Dependence S yndrome. Thirty-one alcohol abusers were allocated to three groups on the b asis of the levels of their liver enzymes, and were tested for a variety of immunological parameters and skin reactions. The data indicate that even t hough not all immunological values measured differed significantly from the control values, in those that did (granulocytes, lymphocytes, CD4/CD8 rati o, C3, IgG, IgM and some skin positive reactions), the biggest difference w as between the healthy volunteers and the group with the longest abuse peri od. It is suggested that changes in selected immunological parameters in al cohol abusers may indicate the severity of their liver dysfunction, (C) 200 0 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.