Alcohol & Alcoholism Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 106-109, 2004
Alcohol & Alcoholism Vol. 39, No. 2 © Medical Council on Alcohol 2004; all rights reserved.
BINGE DRINKING AND NITRIC OXIDE METABOLITES IN CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE
1 Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Crete, Crete and 2 Liver Research Laboratory, University of Crete, Medical School, Crete, Greece
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Crete, PO Box 1352, Heraklion 71110, Crete, Greece. Tel.: +30 28 1039 2356; Fax: +30 28 1054 2085; E-mail: kouroum{at}med.uoc.gr
(Received 22 February 2003; first review notified 3 April 2003; in revised form 22 October 2003; accepted 17 November 2003)
Aims: The effect of binge drinking in the production of nitric oxide metabolites has not been studied in patients with chronic viral liver disease. Methods: We therefore studied serum levels of nitrites and nitrates (NOx) in 13 patients with chronic viral hepatitis and nine patients with compensated viral cirrhosis, after administration of 80 g alcohol. 15 patients with compensated alcoholic cirrhosis and seven healthy individuals were used as controls. Serum NOx levels were measured by a modification of the Griess reaction before and at 2, 12 and 24 h after alcohol consumption. Results: An increase of serum NOx levels, that was statistically significant at 12 h, was found in healthy controls (P < 0.05). A similar pattern of NOx levels was observed in patients with chronic hepatitis. By contrast, in patients with cirrhosis, either viral or alcoholic, no significant increase was found after alcohol administration. However, basal levels in cirrhotics were significantly elevated (82.2 ± 13.8 vs. 43.1 ± 7.2 µmol/l, P < 0.01) compared to healthy controls. Conclusions: Binge drinking causes a significant increase of serum NOx evident after 12 h with a return after 24 h at pre-drinking levels in healthy controls and patients with chronic viral hepatitis. In cirrhosis, such an increase is not observed serum levels being constantly elevated throughout the study period.
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