Relationship between duration of harmful alcohol consumption and serum lipids in some hospitalized Nigerian alcoholics undergoing detoxification treatment

Onyesom¹*, C.C. Olise², E.W. Edafiadhe³, C.O. Esume² and E.B. Anyanwu⁴

¹Department of Medical Biochemistry,Delta State University, Abraka, (Nigeria). ²Department of Pharmacology,Delta State University, Abraka, (Nigeria). ³Department of Psychiatry,Delta State University, Abraka, (Nigeria). ⁴Department of Family Medicine, Delta State University, Abraka, (Nigeria).

ABSTRACT: Heavy consumption of alcohol has been established to be the most common causative factor of liver disease, pancreatitis, upper gastrointestinal and neurological disorders. However, the influence of harmful duration of alcohol consumption on some “Syndrome X” risk factors and associated secondary cardiovascular dysfunction, is largely unknown. The study investigated the relationship of serum lipids in alcoholics and their duration of harmful alcohol consumption. One hundred and seven chronic alcoholics who were referred consecutively for detoxification were selected, and their drinking pattern was sufficient for them to be included in the study. History of alcohol abuse as well as drinking behaviour in the last 6 months were assessed by a semi-structured interview, and serum lipids were determined by standard procedures. Statistical analysis revealed that the duration of harmful alcohol consumption had the highest influence on the degree of brain injuries and withdrawal seizures. Serum cholesterol, triacylglycerol (TAG), HDL-,LDL- and VLDL-cholesterol, and blood pressure (BP) measures were elevated in alcoholics compared with control subjects. In recent times, increase in serum TAG and TAG/HDL-cholesterol ratio have been reported to be among the biochemical indicators of “Syndrome X”, an emerging disease. Thus, the prevalence of this emerging metabolic disorder among alcoholics deserve further investigation, because it might be yet another alcohol-related disorder study suggests.

KEYWORDS: Alcoholics; Pancreatitis;“Syndrome X”; Cholesterol; Triacylglycerol

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