Serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] in alcoholic men: Effect of withdrawal

• Published in: Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.) N.Y.), 1996-05, Vol.13 (3), p.309-314
• Main Authors: Delarue, Jacques, Husson, Marion, Schellenberg, François, Tichet, Jean, Vol, Sylviane, Couet, Charles, Lamisse, Fernand
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Alanine Transaminase - blood; Alcohol; Alcoholism - blood; Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning; Apolipoprotein A-I - metabolism; Apolipoproteins B - blood; Aspartate Aminotransferases - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Ethanol - administration & dosage; gamma-Glutamyltransferase - blood; High-density lipoprotein; Human; Humans; Lipoprotein(a); Lipoprotein(a) - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome - blood; Toxicology; Withdrawal
• ISSN: 0741-8329; 1873-6823
• DOI: 10.1016/0741-8329(95)02112-4

This study examines the effect of alcohol withdrawal on lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] in 24 male, middle-aged chronic alcohol abusers admitted for withdrawal therapy. Serum concentration of Lp(a) was determined before and during the first 3 weeks of abstinence. The changes in three sialylated proteins [Lp(a), α1-antitrypsin (α1-AT), and haptoglobin (Hp)] and in desialylated transferrin (CDT) were also determined in 14 patients. After the 3 weeks of withdrawal therapy, the mean and median Lp(a) concentrations increased ( p = 0.0001). The changes in Lp(a) levels were not related to the changes in dietary intake nor to the decrease in total HDL, HDL 3, HDL 2 cholesterol, Apo A-I, and Apo B. In the subgroup of 14 chronic alcohol abusers, Lp(a) levels increased parallel with Hp and α1-AT, whereas CDT decreased. It is concluded that the impact of alcohol on sialylated proteins may be one of the mechanisms responsible for the increase in plasma Lp(a) after alcohol withdrawal.