International Union for Circumpolar Health Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of RF Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences Medical Polar Fund “Science” The Northern Forum

Abstracts

Alcohol, smoking, and drug abuse

Markers of chronic alcohol abuse and heavy drinkers includes the determination of liver function test (ALT , AST and GGT activity) in serum, which are not enough specific for alcohol-related liver injury. Elevation of these enzymes in serum (especially γ-glutamyltransferase, GGT) considered as one of the symptoms of alcohol abuse. The elevation of serum GGT is connected with liver injury produced by alcohol. All methods of determination of enzyme activity are related to contact with blood samples and there is some risk of this contact.. More safe and perspective are non-invasive methods, using urine and other biological fluids. Recently several non-invasive markers of alcohol abuse were introduced (determination of GGT, lysosomal enzyme β-hexosaminidase, as well as α-aminopeptidase activity in urine).

The aim – to evaluate the role of usage of non-invasive markers of alcohol abuse in urine.

Methods used: Urine and serum of healthy persons aged 18-25 years old and patients (18-45 years old) with alcohol dependence syndrome (2nd stage) were used in the study. Urine samples of patients were collected as middle morning portion , in patients - 3 days after the last abuse of alcohol. Urine was centrifuged at 3000 g for 10 min, gel filtration with Sefadex G-25 was used in separate portions. GGT activity in urine and serum was determined with help of kits (Joint Company Vital Diagnostics, St. Petersburg, Russia), ALT – with Lachema kits (Czech Republik), lysosomal enzyme activity β-hexosaminidase (in serum) by fluorogenic method (Barrett, 1981).

Conclusion. The most significant elevation of GGT activity was noticed in patients with alcohol dependence syndrome both in serum and urine. We can conclude that combination of biochemical assays in urine in alcohol dependence syndrome is useful in diagnostic as non-invasive index of alcohol dependence.

Note. Abstracts are published in author's edition

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Last update: 06-Jul-2012 (11:52:05)