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| Transient elevation of hepatic enzymes in volunteers after intake of alcohol |
| Min Yue, Qun Ni, Chao-Hui Yu, Ke-Ming Ren, Wei-Xing Chen and You-Ming Li |
Hangzhou, China
Author Affiliations: Digestive Department, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China (Yue M, Ni Q, Yu CH, Reb KM, Chen WX and Li YM)
Corresponding Author: You-Ming Li, MD, Digestive Department, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China (Tel: 86-571-87236603; Fax: 86-571-87236611; Email: liyouming@dna.net.cn) |
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Abstract BACKGROUND: In the organs that mediate alcohol effects on the human body and its health, the liver plays a particular important role. This study was designed to detect the changes of hepatic enzymes after alcohol intake and evaluate the corresponding damage to the human body.
METHODS: Fifteen volunteers were included according to the criteria. After the intake of 80 g ethanol containing beverage, alcohol levels were detected and blood samples were collected at 0.5- to 3-hour interval to detect the levels of hepatic enzymes simultaneously.
RESULTS: After the intake of 80 g ethanol, various symptoms occurred in volunteers while the concentration of blood alcohol peaked at 1 hour and normalized within 24 hours. The ratio of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) to aspartate aminotransferase (AST) increased significantly when the venous alcoholic concentration increased from 0 g/L to 1.2 g/L and the levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) were elevated when the alcoholic concentration reached 0.4 g/L. No significant changes were noticed in ALT, AST or cholinesterase (CHE).
CONCLUSION: Acute alcohol intoxication may cause the changes of hepatic enzymes and prove the existence of reversible hepatic injury.
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2006, Vol. 5 
