Alkol Bağımlılığı Olan Hastalarda Leptin, Grelin, Prolaktin Düzeylerinin Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Objective: Alcohol dependence doesn�t consist in all individuals drinking alcohol. For this reason, risk factors for dependence, its etiology and the basis of the impulse for alcohol drinking should be investigated. The hormones, which have different functions in the body, have been the subjects of the researches to determine these factors. Hormones effecting the food intake could be thought to have relationship with alcohol drinking as well. In this study, it was aimed to investigate whether hormones effecting the food intake would effect on alcohol intake. Method: Twenty-one patients have been included in the study who referred to Trakya University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and had been clinically evaluated as alcohol dependence according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition criteria and who had been hospitalized. On the first day of hospitalization that they gave up drinking (0th day) and on the following 1st, 7th, and 28th days, fasting blood samples were collected at 08:00 am and blood ghrelin, leptin and prolactin levels were measured. In line with the patients group, 21 healthy volunteers, out of which 20 were male and 1 was female who had not been drinking for at least ten days and had not fulfilled Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition criteria for alcohol dependence were included in this study. Blood samples were collected for their ghrelin, leptin and prolactin levels from the control group. Results: There were no significant differences at the leptin, ghrelin and prolactin levels between alcohol dependent patient group and healthy control group. Additionally, there were no significant differences at leptin and prolactin levels in the alcohol dependent patients within the days. Whereas, ghrelin levels of alcohol dependent patients were statistically lower between the 0th and 28th day and between the 1th and 28th day. Conclusions: Because of the decline at ghrelin levels within these days, it is considered that there is a need for further studies on alcohol dependent patients; and besides, evaluation of more prolonged sobriety days may be more useful. This study does not support the hypothesis that leptin, ghrelin and prolactin levels would be a biological indicator for alcohol dependence.