bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
β‐Carbolines in Chronic Alcoholics Undergoing Elective Tumor Resection
Authors: Spies Claudia D. , Rommelspacher Hans , Schnapper Claus , Muller Christian , Marks Christian , Berger Gerd , Conrad Christian , Blum Susanne , Specht Martin , Hannemann Lutz , Striebel H. Walter , Schaffartzik Walter 
Published: April 2006

The prevalence of chronic alcoholism in patients with carcinomas of the upper digestive tract exceeds 60%. The patient's history and laboratory markers, preoperatively, are often not sensitive or specific enough to detect alcohol‐dependent patients, preoperatively, who are at risk of developing alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) during their postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Previously, it was found that plasma norharman was elevated in chronic alcoholics, suggesting marker characteristics for chronic ethanol misuse and possibly alcohol dependence. We investigated whether β‐carbolines (i.e., harman and norharman) were different between chronic alcoholics and nonalcoholics with carcinoma, and how the levels change in alcohol‐dependent patients during their hospital stay.Ninety‐seven patients with oral, pharyngeal, laryngeal, or esophageal carcinomas were evaluated regarding their drinking habits. Sixty patients were transferred to the ICU following tumor resection. Chronic alcoholics met the DSM‐III‐R and ICD‐10 criteria for alcohol dependence or chronic alcohol abuse/harmful use. The daily ethanol intake in chronic alcoholics was ≥60 g. Blood samples were collected on admission to the hospital, preoperatively, on admission to the ICU and on days 2, 4, and 7 in the ICU. Harman and norharman were determined by HPLC.Elevated norharman was found in chronic alcoholics on admission to the hospital, whereas harman did not differ between groups. On admission, the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve was significantly larger for carbohydrate‐deficient transferrin and preoperatively for norharman. The preoperative norharman levels were significantly correlated with the period of mechanical ventilation and the length of ICU stay. Postoperatively, norharman decreased in all patients, except a group of 11 alcohol‐dependent patients who developed AWS during their ICU stay.The finding that elevated norharman levels were found in chronic alcoholics on admission to the hospital and preoperatively supports the view of a specific marker for alcoholism. Preoperative norharman was superior to carbohydrate‐deficient transferrin and was associated with a prolonged ICU stay and a prolonged period of mechanical ventilation. Further studies are required to determine whether norhaman aids in the preoperative diagnosis of chronic alcohol misuse with respect to the prevention of postoperative complications.
Prevalence of Cholelithiasis According to Alcoholic Liver Disease: A Possible Role of Apolipoproteins AI and AII
Authors: Poynard Thierry , Lonjon Isabelle , Mathurin Philippe , Abella Annie , Musset Dominique , Bedossa Pierre , Aubert Alain , Naveau Sylvie , Chaput Jean‐Claude 
Published: April 2006

Moderate alcohol intakes decreases the risk of gallstones; in contrast, the prevalence of gallstones is increased in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. The aims of this prospective study were to assess the prevalence of cholethiasis among drinkers according to the histological severity of liver disease, and to estimate the importance of serum apolipoproteins AI and apolipoprotein All as risk factors for gallstones. Among the 320 drinkers included, 53 patients had cholelithiasis. The prevalence increased (p < 0,0001) from 5% in patients with normal liver (1 of 22) and 6% in patients with steatosis only (3 of 47) to 13% in patients with fibrosis (7 of 54), reaching 27% among patients with biopsy‐proven cirrhosis (28 of 103). Among patients with clinically obvious cirrhosis on whom biopsy was not performed mainly because of the severity of liver disease, the prevalence of cholelithiasis reached a maximum of 46% (6 of 13).Among drinkers with nonsevere liver disease, patients with cholelithiasis were older (59 ± 9 years, mean ± SD vs. 45 ± 11, p= 0.003) with lower apolipoprotein AI (118 ± 37 vs. 163 ± 45mg/dl;p= 0.002) and apolipoprotein All (30 ± 12 vs. 53 ± 20 mg/dl; p= 0.0002) in comparison with patients without cholelithiasis. These differences persisted after considering by multiple logistic regression analysis, sex, and ideal body weight. Alcohol consumption during the last 5 years was lower in patients with cholelithiasis (83 g/day) in comparison with patients without cholelithiasis (142 g/day; p= 0.04).Among drinkers with severe liver disease, patients with cholelithiasis were slightly older (56 ± 13 vs. 52 ± 12 years; p= 0.07) and were more often female (46% vs. 29%; p= 0.06). Unconjugated serum bilirubin was also slightly higher (30 ± 43 vs. 19 ± 40 μmol/liter; p= 0.08).In conclusion, alcohol intake could protect drinkers against cholesterol gallstones as long as apolipoprotein Al and apolipoprotein All secretions are increased. In contrast, heavy ethanol‐induced fibrosis in the liver results in decreased apolipoprotein Al and apolipoprotein All secretions and thus, may promote the occurrence of cholesterol gallstones. These relationships could explain the paradox of decrease gallstones prevalence among moderate drinkers and the high prevalence among alcoholic cirrhotics.
The Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale: A Self‐Rated Instrument for the Quantification of Thoughts about Alcohol and Drinking Behavior
Authors: Anton Raymond F. , Moak Darlene H. , Latham Patricia 
Published: April 2006

It has been suggested that a crucial dimension of alcohol “craving” includes the concept of both obsessive thoughts about alcohol use and compulsive behaviors toward drinking. An interview‐based rating scale, the Yale‐Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale‐heavy drinkers (YBOCS‐hd), has been found useful in quantifying this concept in alcohol‐dependent individuals. A self‐rating scale, the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) has been developed by us as a modification of the YBOCS‐hd. The YBOCS‐hd showed excellent interrater reliability in our hands. The correlation between the YBOCS‐hd and the OCDS total scores obtained on 60 alcohol‐dependent individuals was 0.83. The test‐retest correlation for the OCDS total score was 0.96, and the obsessive and compulsive sub‐scales test‐retest correlations were 0.94 and 0.86, respectively. The internal consistency of the items in the OCDS was high (0.86) and did not improve significantly with removal of individual items. The shared variance between the OCDS scores and alcohol consumption during the period of evaluation was only = 20%, indicating that the dimension measured by the scale was somewhat independent of actual drinking. As such, it might act as an independent measure of the “state of illness” for alcohol‐dependent individuals.When used during a prospective 12‐week treatment research study, initial results indicate that the OCDS seems to validly measure a dimension of alcohol dependence, because it decreased from baseline during alcohol reduction and increased in relationship to relapse drinking. The ease of administration (5 min), reliability, and concurrent validity of the OCDS makes it particularly suitable as a screening and outcome measurement tool for various types of clinical treatment and research protocols.
Carbohydrate‐Deficient Transferrin–A Valid Marker of Alcoholism in Population Studies? Results from the Copenhagen City Heart Study
Authors: Grønbæk Morten , Henriksen Jens H. , Becker Ulrik 
Published: April 2006

Carbohydrate‐deficient transferrin (CDT) was analyzed by a modified radioimmunoassay test in a random population sample of 400 individuals, and results were compared with reported alcohol intake derived from a structured questionnaire. Among the 180 men, the test was found to be acceptable with respect to detecting harmful alcohol intake (<35 beverages/week) and alcohol intake above the recommended level (21 beverages/week), although the positive predictive values were low. Among the 220 women, the test was invalid with low predictive values.CDT was compared with other known markers of high alcohol intake, and it was observed that CDT had higher sensitivity and specificity than AST and short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (sMAST) in men, whereas the positive and negative predictive values were low in all tests. A combination of CDT and AST proved to be a better marker of both harmful alcohol intake and alcohol intake above the recommended level than the other markers. Neither CDT, AST, CDT/AST, nor sMAST proved to be useful as markers of alcohol intake in women. There were no differences between the values for pre‐ and postmenopausal womenThese results from a population survey indicate that CDT is a marker of alcohol intake among men, although not ideal, but CDT cannot be used in the screening of harmful alcohol intake in women
Relationship of Protein Calorie Malnutrition to Alcoholic Liver Disease: A Reexamination of Data from Two Veterans Administration Cooperative Studies
Authors: Mendenhall Charles , Roselle Gary A. , Gartside Peter , Moritz Thomas ,   The Veterans Administration Cooperative Study Groups 119 and 275
Published: April 2006

The relationship of protein calorie malnutrition (PCM) to alcoholic liver disease was studied in 666 patients enrolled in two Veterans Administration Cooperative Studies. Some findings of malnutrition could be detected early in 62% of the comparison patients (43 subjects who were alcoholic, but had not yet developed clinical or laboratory evidence of liver injury). In those who had progressed to the stage of liver injury sufficient to manifest clinical jaundice (536 patients), some findings of malnutrition were present in every patient (100%). The degree of malnutrition correlated closely with the development of all the serious complications of the liver disease (ascites, encephalopathy, and hepatorenal syndrome), as well as the overall mortality.The degree of malnutrition was also important in predicting response to some forms of treatment. When prednisolone, a catabolic adrenal steroid, was used, efficacy was independent of the level of malnutrition. However, a relationship was observed with the severity of the liver injury [quantified by the level of jaundice and coagulopathy, i.e., Maddrey's discriminant function (DF(Maddrey))]. For prednisolone, the response was seen only when the DF was 81‐100 reducing mortality 45%.When oxandrolone, an androgenic anabolic steroid treatment was given, efficacy was observed only in those with moderate malnutrition (PCM score 60–79% of normal) and maximized with adequate caloric intake reducing mortality 86%. To simplify the method of calculating the PCM score for predicting response to anabolic therapy, a multiple logistic regression model was developed from the parameters used to assess nutritional status: DF(PCM)= 0.098 (peripheral blood lymphocytes) + 0.078 (creatinine height index). Using the DF(PCM), oxandrolone improved survival 42% when the DF(PCM) exceeded 6.5, but was < 11.0. These results suggest that the two DFs should be determined in patients with life‐threatening alcoholic liver injury and the appropriate therapy administered based on the observed results.
Occupational Stress and the Risk of Alcohol Abuse and Dependence
Authors: Crum Rosa M. , Muntaner Carles , Eaton William W. , Anthony James C. 
Published: April 2006

Using prospective data, we examined the relationship between occupational stress and risk for alcohol disorders. Consistent with the Demand/Control model for psychosocial work environments, we hypothesized that individuals working in high‐strain occupations (jobs with high demands and low control) would be at increased risk for alcohol abuse‐dependence relative to those in low‐strain occupations (jobs with low demands and high control). We classified high occupational strain into two categories: (1) jobs with high psychological demands and low control, and (2) those with high physical demands and low control.A total of 18,571 study subjects were selected in 1980–1984 by taking probability samples of adult household residents at five sites of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program. At baseline, participants completed standardized interviews that measured sociode‐mographic variables and assessed whether they had met diagnostic criteria for currently or formerly active alcohol abuse‐dependence syndromes. The interviews were readministered 1 year later to identify cases among the participants. Subjects were sorted into risk sets by age and residence census tract1 and persons with a previous history of alcohol abuse or dependence, as well as those who were over 64 years or had no history of full‐time employment, were excluded. Among the 507 participants included in the risk sets, there were 126 incident cases of alcohol abuse‐dependence and 381 age and residence‐matched noncases. Relative to low‐strain employment, men were found to be 27.5 times more likely to develop alcohol abuse‐dependence if they had been employed in a high‐strain job classified as having high psychological demands and low control (p= 0.008), and 3.4 times at higher risk for an alcohol disorder if they were employed in high‐strain jobs with high physical demands and low control (p= 0.03). No appreciable risk was found for women in any of the high‐strain job categories. The results highlight occupational stress as a potential risk factor for alcohol abuse and dependence, and add to the growing body of literature on relationships between psychosocial work environment and disease states. If confirmed in other studies, these findings identify potential sources of preventive strategies for alcohol disorders.
Effect of Alcohol Use on Allograft Rejection Rates after Liver Transplantation for Alcoholic Liver Disease
Authors: Van Thiel David H. , Bonet Harry , Gavaler Judith , Wright Harlan I. 
Published: April 2006

Alcoholic liver disease is a major cause of liver disease and has become an ever‐increasing indication for liver transplantation (LTx). Follow‐up studies have reported a higher rate of alcohol recidivism in patients transplanted for alcoholic hepatitis, compared with those transplanted for endstage alcohol‐associated cirrhosis. It is assumed widely that recurrent alcohol use is associated with reduced compliance with immune suppression and, as a result, an increased risk of graft rejection and loss. To assess this question, 209 alcoholic patients transplanted for either alcoholic hepatitis with cirrhosis or cirrhosis alone between January 1, 1986 and December 31, 1991 were followed, with a mean follow‐up of 4.4 ± 0.6 years. There were 175 episodes of acute cellular rejection (ACR) that occurred in 137 patients, for an overall rejection rate of 83.7% or at a rate of 1.25 episodes/patient with rejection. The rate of ACR was three times as great in those who remained alcohol‐abstinent (2.24 episodes/patient), compared with those who admitted to continued alcohol use (0.75 episodes/patient) (p < 0.01). A total of 33 episodes of chronic rejection occurred in 26 patients, for an overall rate of 12.4%. As was the case for ACR, the chronic rejection rate was greater among those who were continuously alcohol‐abstinent, compared with those who intermittently used alcohol after successful LTx.There were no differences in the mean FK 506 or cyclosporin A levels in the groups with and without a rejection episode at the time the rejection episode was documented by liver biopsy. Contrary to generally accepted opinion, these data suggest that continued use of alcohol by liver transplant recipients is associated with a reduction, not an increase, in the rate of rejection.
Ethanol Inhibition of AMPA and Kainate Receptor‐Mediated Depolarizations of Hippocampal Area CA1
Authors: Martin David , Tayyeb M. I. , Swartzwelder H. Scott 
Published: April 2006

Longitudinal hippocampal slices were prepared from adult female rats. The excitatory amino acids, α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole propionate (AMPA) and kainic acid, were applied to area CA1, and the resulting depolarizations were measured using the grease‐gap electrophysiological technique. Agonist dose‐response curves were generated in the presence and absence of various concentrations of ethanol. Ethanol (25–200 mM) significantly attenuated the depolarizations that were produced by each agonist. In addition, we found that ethanol potently antagonized kainate‐induced depolarizations across the agonist concentration‐response curve, whereas it significantly suppressed only AMPA responses that were induced with moderate‐to‐high agonist concentrations.These results indicate that ethanol has potent antagonist actions against non‐N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) excitatory amino acid‐induced neuronal depolarizations in hippocampal area CA1. Moreover, the relative potency of ethanol depends on the specific excitatory agonist tested and the concentration of that agonist. This suggests that, in addition to the known effects of ethanol on NMDA receptor‐mediated activity, it may also potently attenuate ongoing “fast” glutamatergic synaptic activity in the hippocampus.
Effect of Fetal Alcohol Exposure on Postnatal Pituitary Adenosine 3′,5′ ‐Cyclic Phosphate Content and Growth Hormone Release
Authors: Conway Sonya , Garbouzova Yelena 
Published: April 2006

This study examines the influence of fetal ethanol (ETOH) exposure and pair‐feeding dams on postnatal, releasing factor‐induced pituitary growth hormone (GH) release and adenosine 3′,5′‐cyclic phosphate (CAMP) accumulation. Fetuses were exposed to ETOH in utero by feeding dams a 36% (calories derived from ETOH: 6.6% v/v) ETOH liquid diet. Postnatal body weights were measured at sacrifice to evaluate the influence of ETOH on growth. Pituitary weight and protein content were measured to determine if changes in GH secretion or cAMP are proportional to the overall effect of ETOH on the pituitary. Pituitaries from 1‐, 10‐, and 60‐day‐old pups were explanted and incubated without hormones or with either somatostatin [somatotropin‐release inhibiting factor (SRIF); 10−9 M], or GH‐releasing factor (GRF; 5 × 10−9 M). Radioimmunoassays were used to determine tissue cAMP content, after extraction, and media GH concentration.Results indicate that fetal ETOH exposure specifically reduces the weight of both male and female pups. However, by 60 days of age, this reduction is not different from that found in pups of pair‐fed controls, and both groups weighed less than pups of ad libitum controls. Furthermore, both pituitary weight and protein content were proportionately reduced in ETOH‐exposed pups.In regard to releasing factor sensitivity, compared with pituitaries from ad libitum controls, the capacity of GRF to simulate GH release was diminished in 10‐day‐old males (p < 0.00s) exposed to ETOH. On the other hand, the capacity of GRF to stimulate cAMP accumulation was generally enhanced by prenatal ETOH exposure. The capacity of SRIF to depress GH release was diminished in ETOH pups, compared with both pair‐fed and ad libitum‐fed controls (p < 0.0001). This difference in GH release was more apparent in pituitaries from females than males (p < 0.001). However, the depressed SRIF response was not associated with altered cAMP accumulation.These data suggest that fetal ETOH exposure has a sexually dimorphic effect on pituitary sensitivity to GH‐releasing factors that may be related to altered regulation of GH release and susceptibility to growth retardation.
Different Sensitivity to Ethanol in Alcohol‐Preferring sP and ‐Nonpreferring sNP Rats
Authors: Colombo Giancarlo , Agabio Roberta , Carai Mauro A.M. , Lobina Carla , Pani Marialaura , Reali Roberta , Vacca Giovanni , Luigi Gessa Gian 
Published: April 2006

Background and Objectives Clinical research has proposed that initial sensitivity to ethanol may be negatively correlated with levels of subsequent ethanol intake; consistently, alcohol‐preferring P rats were found to be less sensitive to the ataxic and sedative/hypnotic effects of ethanol than ‐nonpreferring NP rats. The present study investigated the initial sensitivity to the ataxic and sedative/hypnotic effects of ethanol and to the sedative/hypnotic effects of pentobarbital and diazepam in selectively bred Sardinian alcohol‐preferring sP and ‐nonpreferring sNP rats.Methods: In experiment 1, time to lose (onset) and regain (sleep time) the righting reflex after the acute intraperitoneal (ip) administration of 3.0 and 3.5 g/kg ethanol were measured in sP and sNP rats. In experiment 2, sP and sNP rats were required to perform a motor coordination task on a Rota‐Rod after the acute intragastric administration of 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 g/kg ethanol. Experiment 3 assessed onset and sleep time in sP and sNP rats after the acute injection of pentobarbital (40 mg/kg; ip) and diazepam (15 and 20 mg/kg; ip).Results: In experiment 1, sP rats took shorter times to lose the righting reflex and regained this reflex over longer periods of time and at lower blood ethanol levels than sNP rats. In experiment 2, ethanol affected motor coordination to a greater extent in sP than sNP rats. In contrast, results from experiment 3 showed that sP and sNP rats were not differentially sensitive to the sedative/hypnotic effects of pentobarbital and diazepam.Conclusions: The results of experiments 1 and 2 suggest that sP rats possess a genetically determined, greater sensitivity to the motor impairing and sedative/hypnotic effects of ethanol than sNP rats. Although caution should be adopted before hypothesizing any comparison to humans, these results may feature sP rats as an experimental model of those subsets of human alcoholics with initial high sensitivity to ethanol challenges. Finally, the results of experiment 3 suggest a minimal involvement of the benzodiazepine and barbiturate recognition sites in the differential sensitivity to ethanol of sP and sNP rats.