Physiological Responses to Induced Stress in Individuals Affected by Alcohol Use Disorder with Dual Diagnosis and Alexithymia.

Alcohol use disorders (AUD) are among the most common and undertreated mental disorders in developed countries. The co-occurrence of psychiatric comorbidity and AUD has already been well documented. Moreover, alexithymia was found associated with heavy drinking and alcohol dependence. A large part of AUD individuals, between 45 and 67%, have been identified as alexithymics. Both psychiatric comorbidity and alexithymia can negatively impact the course of recovery from alcohol. Alcohol consumption has also been shown to significantly influence autonomic responses. Chronic use of alcohol may induce significant changes in heart rate variability, respiratory frequency, electrodermal activity and skin temperature. To date, only a few studies have comprehensively investigated the comorbidity of alexithymia in AUD individuals with dual diagnosis. Thus, the aim and also the novelty of the present investigation were to disclose in individuals with AUD the emotional and cognitive stress responses to selected physiological parameters measured by ProComp5 Infiniti™ encoder in AUD patients suffering alexithymia with or without concomitant dual diagnosis. Quite interestingly, in AUD subjects with concomitant dual diagnosis we found that the alexithymia elevated skin temperature, heart rate variability and decreased respiratory frequency. Alexithymia, if associated with the dual diagnosis condition in AUD individuals, can be considered as a further vulnerability factor to stressing factors, impacting psychosomatic processing and inducing alterations in physiological parameters. In this paper, we discuss the implications of these findings in the early treatment of alexithymic AUD individuals.

Skeletal turnover, bone mineral density, and fractures in male chronic abusers of alcohol.

BACKGROUND: Chronic alcohol abuse is a risk factor for osteoporosis and fractures, whose pathogenesis is still unclear. We investigated the influence of alcoholism and other risk factors on calcium and skeletal metabolism, bone mineral density (BMD), and fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 51 chronic male alcoholics without liver failure and 31 healthy controls, serum total and ionised calcium, phosphate, creatinine, 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD), PTH, total (ALP) and bone-specific (BALP) alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin (BGP), carboxy-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (beta-CTx), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) were assessed. In patients only, we also measured serum testosterone, 17-beta estradiol, LH, and IGF-I. BMD was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry at lumbar spine (LS-) and femur [neck (FN-) and total hip (TF-)]. Vertebral fractures were identified by a semiquantitative method on thoraco-lumbar spine x-ray, non-vertebral fractures (as life-style factors) by history. RESULTS: Alcoholics were leaner, had significantly higher ALP and BALP, and lower BGP and 25OHD levels than controls. No significant difference in other calcium and bone metabolism parameters was found. OPG/RANKL ratio was significantly higher in alcoholics. Beta-CTx negatively correlated with abuse duration. OPG positively correlated with daily alcohol assumption and with indexes of liver cytolysis. Though LS-, FN- and TF-BMD of alcoholics and controls did not significantly differ, patients had a much higher prevalence of vertebral fractures. The same was found considering both vertebral and non-vertebral fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Ethanol-induced skeletal damage seems mainly dependent on negative effects on bone formation. Lifestyle factors and traumas likely contribute to the high fracture incidence of alcohol abusers, independently of BMD.

Acute and chronic effects of ethanol on cortical excitability.

OBJECTIVE: We designed this study to find out whether 5Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) would disclose changes in cortical plasticity after acute intake of ethanol and in patients with chronic alcohol consumption. METHODS: Ten stimuli-5Hz-rTMS trains were applied over the primary motor cortex in 10 healthy subjects before and after acute ethanol intake and in 13 patients with chronic ethanol abuse, but negative blood ethanol levels when studied. The motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude and the cortical silent period (CSP) duration during the course of rTMS trains were measured. Short-interval intracortical inhibition (3ms) and intracortical facilitation (10ms) were studied by paired-pulse TMS in 4 healthy subjects and 4 patients. RESULTS: In healthy subjects before and after acute ethanol intake, 5Hz-rTMS produced a significant increase in the MEP size and CSP duration during rTMS. The first CSP in the train was significantly longer after than before ethanol intake. In patients 5Hz-rTMS failed to produce the normal MEP facilitation but left the CSP increase unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Acute and chronic ethanol intake alters cortical excitability and short-term plasticity of the primary motor cortex as tested by the MEP size facilitation and CSP lengthening after 5Hz-rTMS. SIGNIFICANCE: This finding suggests that rTMS is a valid tool for investigating the effects of ethanol on cortical plasticity in humans.

Chronic and acute alcohol exposure prevents monocyte-derived dendritic cells from differentiating and maturing.

Increasing evidence suggests that alcohol abuse may be linked to adverse immunomodulatory effects on immune responses. Our study was undertaken to clarify the immunological consequences of chronic and acute alcohol exposure on differentiation and maturation of human dendritic cells (DCs). Using immunochemical and cytofluorimetric analysis we determined the phenotype and functions of monocyte-derived DCs from alcoholics and healthy subjects and analyzed their ability to respond to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the presence or absence of ethanol (EtOH) exposure. Our results showed that alcoholics inverted exclamation mark| monocytes differentiated to immature DCs with altered phenotype and functions (alc-iDCs). Alc-iDCs showed fewer CD1a+ cells, weaker CD86 expression and higher HLA-DR expression associated with lower endocytosis and allostimulatory functions than iDCs from healthy subjects (control-iDCs). Despite these impairments, alc-iDCs produced TNF-alpha and IL-6 in large amounts. LPS stimulation failed to induce full phenotypical and functional alc-iDC maturation. In vitro acute EtOH exposure also prevented alc-iDCs and control-iDCs from maturing in response to LPS. T-cell priming experiments showed that EtOH treatment prevented LPS-stimulated control-iDCs from priming and polarizing naïve allogeneic T cells into Th1 cells, thus favouring a predominant Th2 environment. Collectively, our results provide evidence that chronic and acute alcohol exposure prevents DCs from differentiating and maturing in response to a microbial stimulus.

Hypertension in early alcohol withdrawal in chronic alcoholics.

AIMS: Hypertension is an established risk factor in chronic alcoholics, but little is known about the relationship between blood pressure (BP), severity of their alcohol abuse, and severity of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). METHOD: BP was assessed daily for 18 days in a series of chronic alcoholics on early alcohol withdrawal (AW), while also assessing the severity of their AWS on the CIWA-Ar scale. RESULTS: A sharp and sustained decrease in BP was observed after AW; at T0, BP had increased in 55% of patients, and at T18 in 21%. The variation of BP is partially explained by years of at-risk drinking and AWS severity, but other factors may play a role in hypertension in alcoholics, as a large amount of BP variation was not explained by the alcohol-abuse-related parameters that we studied. BP values were not correlated with cigarette smoking, anxiety, or depression. Hypertension found in 'detoxified' alcoholics (approximately 20%) may be related to alcohol-independent hypertension or to a long-lasting alcohol-induced derangement of the BP regulating mechanisms. Further research is needed in these patients to elucidate the mechanisms of persistent hypertension and to set up a treatment protocol. At present, careful monitoring is advisable, as well as pharmacological treatment for moderate or severe hypertension; often a modification of life-style is needed which includes physical activity and possibly sodium (Na) restriction, since hypertension in detoxified alcoholics seems to be Na sensitive. CONCLUSION: Complete alcohol abstinence must be recommended to all hypertensive alcoholics, as AW-induced transient hypertension was found to be harmless in all our subjects, and abstinence leads to a complete recovery from hypertension in most cases.

Erythrocyte thiamine (Th) esters: a major factor of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome or a candidate marker for alcoholism itself?

AIMS: Thiamine (Th) deficiency is a major problem in alcoholics. In this study, the relationship of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) to Th and its esters, as well as the diagnostic power of Th and its esters were investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Th and its esters were assessed in a series of chronic alcoholics (and in controls) using an improved method. RESULTS: No association was found between AWS severity and Th and its esters, while the diagnostic power of thiamine diphosphate (TDP) and Th was very high. TDP was the most significant among the parameters under study, confirming that erythrocyte TDP is a suitable marker of alcoholism: TDP sensitivity across subjects was 84.1%, specificity 85.4%, positive predictive value 82.4%, and negative predictive value 88.0%.

Body composition changes induced by chronic ethanol abuse: evaluation by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.

OBJECTIVE: Nutritional disorders in alcoholics remain one of the most relevant medical problems in Western societies. As ethanol can supply >50% of the dietary energy in alcoholics, body composition alterations may easily occur. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of chronic alcohol consumption on body composition in alcoholics compared to healthy social drinkers. METHODS: A total of 34 alcoholics defined according to DSM III R criteria, aged 41.6 +/- 9.3 yr and with a body mass index (BMI) 23.8 +/- 3.2 kg/m2, were consecutively enrolled in the study. In addition, 43 healthy male social drinkers were used as controls. Body composition was assessed using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and dietary habits were determined by a 3-day food diary. RESULTS: Mean daily alcohol intake was 194 +/- 62.4 g/day in alcoholics and 35.7 +/- 5.2 in healthy subjects (p < 0.0001). Body weight did not differ between alcoholics and controls (70.1 +/- 9.9 vs 71.8 +/- 6.4 kg). Alcoholics had a lower percent body fat (PBF) than control subjects (18.7 +/- 3.7 vs 23.9 +/- 3.9%; p < 0.01), as well as a lower fat mass content (13.4 +/- 3.8 vs 17.0 +/- 3.7 kg; p < 0.01). BMI was highly correlated with PBF in the patient population studied (R = 0.79; p < 0.0001). Significantly higher waist-to-hip ratios were found in alcoholics than in healthy subjects (p < 0.01). No correlation was found between dose of ethanol or duration of alcohol abuse and any of the variables examined. CONCLUSIONS: Alcoholics showed a reduced fat mass and a good preservation of lean body mass with respect to control subjects, and duration of alcohol use and alcohol dose did not seem to influence body composition. These data suggest that, unlike control subjects, alcoholics cannot store the calories provided by ethanol as fat deposits.

Correlation between a psychometric test and biochemical indices of hepatic encephalopathy in alcoholics.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In alcohol abusers an alteration of responses to psychometric tests has been reported, even when clinical symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) are absent. Our research was intended to individualize a simple psychometric test, easy enough to be performed also at the patient's home, able to reveal an impending encephalopathy and, consequently, to facilitate earlier treatment. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-six consecutive male alcoholics were engaged and, after informed consent, the following schedule was applied: administration of a psychometric test, followed by a drawing of blood for the determination of many blood parameters. After 15 days of treatment to detoxicate patients, psychometric tests and blood examinations were repeated. RESULTS: The results confirmed that common blood examinations are not useful to monitor brain damage in chronic alcoholism, that a psychometric test is able to demonstrate a therapeutic improvement and that a positive and significant correlation has been observed between BBCA/AAA ratio and WAIS Score. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results suggest that it is possible to suspect dangerous biochemical changes by means of a simple psychometric test.

Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome: a randomized comparative study versus benzodiazepine.

BACKGROUND: Benzodiazepine has been shown to be one of the most effective class of drugs in the management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) has recently been introduced in the treatment of alcohol problems, including AWS. At present there are no comparative studies between benzodiazepines and GHB in AWS treatment. The aim of the present randomized, controlled, single-blind study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of GHB compared with diazepam in the treatment of AWS. METHODS: Sixty alcoholics affected by AWS were enrolled in the study. Diazepam (0.5-0.75 mg/kg body weight for 6 days, tapering the dose 25% daily until day 10) was administered orally to 30 patients (25 males, 5 females; mean age 44.3 +/- 10.9 years); GHB (50 mg/kg body weight for 10 days) was administered orally to 30 patients (26 males,4 females; mean age 41.7 +/- 10.4 years). The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol-revised scale (CIWA-Ar) was used to evaluate the AWS physical symptoms. The State Anxiety Inventory test for current anxiety assessment and the Zung self-rating Depression Scale for current depression assessment were performed. RESULTS: Eight patients (26.6%) in the diazepam group and 4 patients (13.3%) in the GHB group dropped out. Both treatments were effective in reducing AWS. No significant difference was found between the groups in CIWA-Ar total score at baseline and at the different times of observation. Considering the CIWA-Ar subscore and Zung scale, a significant reduction of anxiety on day 4 (p < 0.02), agitation on day 5 (p < 0.02) and time of recovery of depression on day 5 (p < 0.02) was observed in the GHB group with respect to the diazepam group. Drowsiness and vertigo developed after initial drug administration in the GHB (19.2%) and diazepam (36.4%) groups and quickly resolved in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: GHB is as effective in the management of AWS as benzodiazepine and it seems to be quicker in reducing anxiety, agitation, and depression. Both drugs are safe and well-tolerated in AWS management.

Mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase isoenzyme: a biochemical marker for the clinical management of alcoholics?

Serum mitochondrial and total aspartate aminotransferase activity was quantified by a characterized immunochemical method in 126 subjects, 44 healthy controls and 82 chronic alcoholics (51 outpatients and 31 monitored through 15 days). The monitored alcoholics were divided into actual abstinents (n = 21) and drinkers (n = 10) by blood ethanol concentration performed daily. The aims of the present study were: (a) to compare the diagnostic diagnostic usefulness of the mitochondrial isoenzyme and the mitochondrial/total aspartate aminotransferase ratio to detect problematic drinkers; (b) to evaluate the suitability of these indices to monitor abstinence, a difficulty not yet solved in the clinical management of alcoholics. The results demonstrated the mitochondrial isoenzyme to be more suitable to discriminate between controls and alcoholics (Kruskal and Wallis ANOVA, Bonferroni test, P < 10(-5) and mostly between actual drinkers and other alcoholics (P < 0.041). So acute alcohol consumption may be a significant, suggestive and until now inadequately examined factor in evaluating the suitability of mAST as a marker. The results, showing that mAST peaks quickly appear in the presence of a new alcohol intake, should indicate mAST as a possible marker of acute alcohol intake useful in checking self-claimed abstinence.

Ketanserin, hypertension, and chronic alcoholism: double-blind study in forty patients.

In a randomized double-blind trial involving 40 alcoholic hypertensive patients, the antihypertensive activity of ketanserin, a serotonin antagonist with high affinity for S2 serotonergic receptors, was compared with a placebo. Patients in both groups were matched for age, body weight, blood pressure, alcoholic consumption, and length of alcoholism. The administration of ketanserin significantly reduced (p less than 0.001) mean supine blood pressure from 167/106 mmHg (22.3/14.1 kPa) at baseline to 145/87 mmHg (19.3/11.6 kPa) after 90 days of treatment versus a slight non-significant reduction with the placebo. No significant changes in heart rate, body weight, or laboratory parameters occurred. The incidence of side-effects was low in both groups. The results of this study suggest the possible role of serotonin in the pathogenesis of alcohol-related hypertension and the potential treatment of the disease using S2-receptor antagonists such as ketanserin.

Ketanserin (S2-receptor blocking agent), platelet activity and chronic alcoholism.

Ketanserin is a pure and selective antagonist of serotonin S2-receptors in blood vessels, platelets and bronchial tissue. It antagonizes serotonin-induced vasoconstriction, bronchoconstriction and platelet aggregation, and indirectly it blocks platelet release reaction. Ketanserin has little or no effect on healthy subjects. Serotonin-induced or serotonin-potentiated platelet aggregation is inhibited in blood drawn from ketanserin-treated healthy volunteers. Oral or parenteral ketanserin treatment did not cause major changes in beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) and platelet factor 4 (PF4) plasma concentrations, when basic values were normal. Increased microaggregate formation was found in alcoholics and heavy drinkers. It was also found that beta-TG and PF4 levels were higher in these patients than in the controls. Ketanserin treatment tended to normalize these protein levels in such patients.