Oxidative stress and a thrombophilic condition in alcoholics without severe liver disease

Background and Objectives. The degree of oxidative stress and its associati on with a thrombophilic condition, if any, were investigated in alcoholics before the onset of severe liver disease. Design and Methods. Reactive oxygen species and total antioxidant capacity were evaluated using two new kinetic spectrophotometric methods in a select ed group of 45 consecutive chronic alcohol abusers and 42 apparently health y moderate drinkers, used as controls. The hemostatic system was explored b y detecting the plasma levels of prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2) and thromb in-antithrombin complexes (TAT) with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, wh ile D-dimer plasma levels were measured with a turbidimetric immunoassay. Results. Reactive oxygen species were significantly higher (p<0.001) in hea vy drinkers than in controls: 328.1 (143.4-847.2) U.CARR vs 250 (200.7-366. 8) U.CARR, respectively. The total antioxidant capacity was similar in chro nic alcohol abusers and in moderate drinkers: 360.2 (336.8-374.4) <mu>Mol H CIO/mL vs 369 (362-378.4) mu Mol HCIO/mL, respectively. All molecular marke rs of hemostatic system activation were significantly increased in chronic alcohol abusers in comparison with those in moderate drinkers, as follows: TAT: 2.5 (1.4-13) mug/L vs 1.5 (1-4.1) mug/L, respectively (p<0.001); F1+2: 1.7 (0.5-5.2) nMol/L vs 0.9 (0.4-1.1) nMol/L, respectively (p<0.01); D-dim er: 235.5 (208-462) ng/mL vs 163.5 (71-233) ng/mL, respectively (p<0.001). Interpretation and Conclusions. Our results suggest that oxidative stress a nd a thrombophilic condition can be observed in heavy drinkers without seve re liver disease. The new test available for measuring reactive oxygen spec ies in serum proved to be reliable and useful as an early marker of tissue damage.