TY - JOUR

T1 - Reversibility of increased formation of catecholamines in patients with alcoholic liver disease

AU - Parlesak, Alexandr

AU - Reisenauer, C

AU - Biermann, J

AU - Ratge, D

AU - Bode, J C

AU - Bode, Christiane

N1 - (Ekstern)

PY - 2004

Y1 - 2004

N2 - Background: While chronic alcohol abuse has been shown to be associated with increased production of catecholamines, little is known about the reversibility of this increased sympathetic activity and the influence of severity of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the increase in urinary excretion rates and plasma levels of catecholamines in alcohol-abusing patients are reversible during prolonged abstinence, especially with respect to the severity of ALD. Methods: Urinary excretion rates and plasma levels of noradrenaline (NA), adrenaline (A) and dopamine (DA) were determined in 15 subjects with mild to moderate ALD (ALD1) and in 7 alcoholic cirrhotics (ALD2) on admission and after 2 and 12 weeks of abstinence. Eight healthy males, age-matched to ALD1, served as controls (HC). Results: Urinary excretion rates (24 h) and resting plasma concentrations of NA and A were increased in ALD1 and ALD2 about 2-fold, while those of DA were elevated only moderately compared to HC. During exercise under a load of 100 watts, the increases in plasma levels of NA and A with reference to the resting values were nearly identical in all three groups. Already after 2 weeks of abstinence, the urinary excretion rate of NA had nearly normalized in ALD1 but remained unchanged in ALD2. Conclusion: The marked enhancement of catecholamine production, especially that of NA, observed in actively drinking alcoholics is reversible under abstinence within a few weeks in subjects with mild to moderate ALD but only partially reversible in alcoholic cirrhosis.

AB - Background: While chronic alcohol abuse has been shown to be associated with increased production of catecholamines, little is known about the reversibility of this increased sympathetic activity and the influence of severity of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the increase in urinary excretion rates and plasma levels of catecholamines in alcohol-abusing patients are reversible during prolonged abstinence, especially with respect to the severity of ALD. Methods: Urinary excretion rates and plasma levels of noradrenaline (NA), adrenaline (A) and dopamine (DA) were determined in 15 subjects with mild to moderate ALD (ALD1) and in 7 alcoholic cirrhotics (ALD2) on admission and after 2 and 12 weeks of abstinence. Eight healthy males, age-matched to ALD1, served as controls (HC). Results: Urinary excretion rates (24 h) and resting plasma concentrations of NA and A were increased in ALD1 and ALD2 about 2-fold, while those of DA were elevated only moderately compared to HC. During exercise under a load of 100 watts, the increases in plasma levels of NA and A with reference to the resting values were nearly identical in all three groups. Already after 2 weeks of abstinence, the urinary excretion rate of NA had nearly normalized in ALD1 but remained unchanged in ALD2. Conclusion: The marked enhancement of catecholamine production, especially that of NA, observed in actively drinking alcoholics is reversible under abstinence within a few weeks in subjects with mild to moderate ALD but only partially reversible in alcoholic cirrhosis.

KW - Adrenaline

KW - Alcoholic cirrhosis

KW - Alcoholic liver disease

KW - Catecholamines

KW - Dopamine

KW - Exercise

KW - Noradrenaline

KW - Plasma concentration

KW - Urinary excretion

U2 - 10.1080/00365520310007738

DO - 10.1080/00365520310007738

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 14992563

AN - SCOPUS:1242269864

VL - 39

SP - 60

EP - 66

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. Supplement

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. Supplement

SN - 0085-5928

IS - 1

ER -