Non-alcoholic Group Research Articles

Use of health care resources in relation to harmful alcohol use prior to intensive care unit admission

ABSTRACT Background The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of health care resources prior to ICU admission in relation to harmful alcohol use. Methods Retrospective study of 840 non-traumatic ICU admissions. National registry of usage of health care resources during a 4-year period was used. Results A total of 262 (31.1%) patients were identified as harmful alcohol users. They were more often males and were younger compared to non-alcohol group. Patients in the harmful alcohol use group had a higher rate of specialist health care admissions prior to ICU admission due to gastrointestinal causes and traumas compared to non-alcohol group (34.7% vs 26.8%, P < .005 and 35.1% vs 21.3%, P < .001, respectively). Patients in the alcohol group had also more alcohol-related visits to primary health care system and hospital ward visits compared to the non-alcohol group (21.4% vs 0.5%, P < .001 and 11.5% vs 0.2%, P < .001, respectively). There were no differences in the crude health care costs per patient nor crude hospital mortality between the study groups. Conclusions Patients with harmful alcohol use had more admissions due to traumas and gastrointestinal causes during the 4-year period prior to the ICU admission.

Chemokines in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: Previous results on the relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and chemokine concentrations were inconsistent. The purpose of this network meta-analysis was to evaluate the link between chemokine system and NAFLD.Methods: Relevant data, published not later than June 31, 2019, were searched in the databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. A network meta-analysis was used to rank the chemokines by surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) probabilities. In addition, standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated as group differences in the chemokine concentrations.Results: The search in the databases identified 46 relevant studies that investigated the relationship between 15 different chemokines and NAFLD using 4,753 patients and 4,059 controls. Results from the network meta-analysis showed that the concentrations of CCL2 and CXCL8 in the non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) group was significantly higher than that in the control group (SMDs of 1.51 and 1.95, respectively), and the concentrations of CCL3, CCL4, CCL20, CXCL8, and CXCL10 in the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) group was significantly higher than that in the control group (SMDs of 0.90, 2.05, 2.16, 0.91, and 1.46, respectively). SUCRA probabilities showed that CXCL8 had the highest rank in NAFL for all chemokines and CCL20 had the highest rank in NASH for all chemokines.Conclusion: Elevated concentrations of CCL2, CCL4, CCL20, CXCL8, and CXCL10 may be associated with NAFL or NASH. In this regard, more population-based studies are needed to ascertain this hypothesis.Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO: CRD42020139373.

ONCOLOGIC OUTCOMES OF ALCOHOL INDUCED HCC AFTER LIVER TRANSPLANTATION

Introduction: Alcohol is a well-known oncogenic substance that many people still have abused. Alcohol can make liver not only cirrhosis but also hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). More and more patients who have HCC undergo liver transplantation (LT) these days. However, there was no report to research the oncologic outcomes of LT for those patients. Patients and Methods: The data from 470 patients with HCC who underwent LT were retrospectively collected and analyzed. We compared oncologic outcomes between alcoholic and non-alcoholic HCC patients. Results: Out of 470 HCC patients, 20 patients had alcoholic HCC before LT. There were no differences in Milan criteria proportion and AFP level between the groups. The mean MELD score of the groups was not different. Living donor LTs were performed in 70% of non-alcoholic group and 80% of alcoholic group, which was no significantly different. RBC transfusion and operation time were not different during the operations. However, recurrence-free survival rates of alcoholic HCC group was worse than non-alcoholic group (3yr RFS; 58.9% vs 85.7% respectively, P=0.032). Conclusion: Alcohol induced HCC patients showed worse recurrence-free survival after LT than non-alcoholic HCC patients. Further study will be needed to clarify the cause of these results.

High intestinal hydrogen production in runners after intake of fructose solution

Fructose intake is associated with increased consumption of processed foods, specifically in the context of nutritional supplements. To assess gastrointestinal symptoms and hydrogen production after the ingestion of a fructose solution in runners, healthy and sick persons. Hydrogen test (H2 test) was performed after the intake a solution with 50 g fructose along with the application of a questionnaire to evaluate the gastrointestinal symptoms during the H2 test in three groups: Athletes group (AG); control group (CG) with healthy subjects; and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease group (NAFLDG). Statistical analysis was performed with analysis of variance at a p < 0.05 significance level. The AG was the largest H2 producer followed by the CG with significant difference between the AG and NAFLDG (p ≤ 0.05). Most participants remained asymptomatic, but the strongest correlation was the symptom of bloating GC (R = 0.625), eructation in NAFLD (R = 0.481) and diarrhea in CG (R = 0.345) and AG (R = 0.338) The result of the present study suggests the production of hydrogen by the colon following the administration of fructose is higher in athletes compared with healthy individuals and persons with NAFLD, showing that fructose intake may be an interesting point of dietary management, especially in elite professionals.

Effects of alcohol and nicotine consumption on the development of apical periodontitis in rats: a correlative micro-computed tomographic, histological and immunohistochemical study.

To evaluate the effects of alcohol and nicotine, when used alone or simultaneously, in the development of apical periodontitis induced in rats, using a correlative analytic approach with micro-CT, histological and immunohistochemical analysis. Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were arranged into four groups: Control, Nicotine, Alcohol and Alcohol+Nicotine. The alcohol groups were exposed to self-administration of a 25% alcohol solution, whilst the other groups drunk only filtered water. The nicotine groups received daily intraperitoneal injections of a solution with 0.19μL of nicotine per mL, whilst the other groups received saline solution. The pulps of the left mandibular first molars were exposed for 28days to induce periapical lesions. Throughout the experiment, drug administration was maintained, and the animals had their weight and solid and liquid consumption measured. After euthanasia, the mandibles were removed and the area, volume and major diameter of the periapical lesions were measured using micro-computed tomography images. The samples were submitted to histopathological evaluation and immunohistochemistry for RANKL and PTHrP. Statistical analysis was undertaken with a significance level of 5%. Nonparametric data were analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's test, whilst one-way anova followed by Tukey's test was performed for parametric data. The alcohol groups had lower solid and liquid consumption and gained less weight when compared to the nonalcohol groups (P<0.05). The Alcohol+Nicotine group had lesions with significantly larger volume and area when compared to the other groups (P<0.05), whilst the Alcohol or Nicotine groups had significantly larger lesions than the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the largest diameter of the lesions amongst groups (P>0.05). The experimental groups had greater inflammatory response scores than the control group (P<0.05), and the representative samples had more pronounced immunoreaction against RANKL and PTHrP antibodies. Alcohol and nicotine consumption exacerbated the inflammatory response and the development of periradicular lesions in rats. The association of both substances enhanced their harmful effects.

Clinical impact of pre-hypertension on the risk of cancer in male and female subjects

There are few studies assessing pre-hypertension and an impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and their combined effects on the cancer risk. We investigated the impact of pre-hypertension on cancer risk and IFG, and their combined effects on the cancer risk. This study included 371,762 subjects (≥40 years) who had never been diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), and cancer before. During a mean follow-up of 10.06 ± 1.86 years, 35,605 (9.58%) of the subjects developed cancer. In men only, cancer risk was significantly increased with an increase in the blood pressure (BP) (P for trend < 0.001), and were increased in the hypertension range, but not the pre-hypertension range. When analyzing the combination effect of BP and fasting glucose, cancer risks were serially increased with an increase in the fasting glucose in a dose-dependent manner, but not with an increase in BP. These results were more consistently significant in the never-smoker and non-alcohol drinking groups. However, in women, there was no significant difference. In conclusions, increased BP status or the fasting serum glucose level status were associated with cancer risk in men. Furthermore, the combination of both pre-hypertension and IFG also was associated with a cancer risk in men.

Moderate acute alcohol use impairs intentional inhibition rather than stimulus-driven inhibition

Moderate alcohol intake may impair stimulus-driven inhibition of motor actions in go/no-go and stop-signal tasks. Exposure to alcohol-related cues has been found to exacerbate this impairment. By contrast, the effect of alcohol use on intentional inhibition, or the capacity to voluntarily suspend an action, has rarely been investigated. We examined whether and how moderate alcohol intake affects stimulus-driven inhibition (stop-signal task) and intentional inhibition (chasing bottles task), during exposure to alcohol-related stimuli. One hundred and eleven participants were randomly assigned to an alcohol (male: 0.55 g/kg, female: 0.45 g/kg), placebo, or control group. For the stop-signal task, ANOVAs were performed on stop-signal reaction time (SSRT) and go RT with Pharmacological and Expectancy Effects of Alcohol, Stimulus Category (alcohol-related or neutral), and Sex as factors. For the chasing bottles task, multilevel survival analysis was performed to predict whether and when intentional inhibition was initiated, with the same factors. For the stop-signal task, Sex moderated the Pharmacological Effect of Alcohol on SSRT: only for females, alcohol consumption shortened SSRT. In the non-alcohol groups, males had shorter SSRT than females. Concerning intentional inhibition, the alcohol group initiated intentional inhibition less often, especially when stimuli were non-alcohol related. These findings indicate that (1) stimulus-driven inhibition and intentional inhibition reflect different aspects of response inhibition; (2) moderate alcohol intake negatively affects intentional inhibition (but not stimulus-driven inhibition). Speculatively, the observed impairment in intentional inhibition might underlie the lack of control over alcohol drinking behavior after a priming dose. This study highlights the potential role of intentional inhibition in the development of addiction.

Development of disturbance of consciousness is associated with increased severity in acute pancreatitis

BackgroundDisturbance of consciousness (DOC) may develop in acute pancreatitis (AP). In clinical practice, it is known that DOC may worsen the patient’s condition, but we have no exact data on how DOC affects the outcome of AP. MethodsFrom the Hungarian Pancreatic Study Groups’ AP registry, 1220 prospectively collected cases were analyzed, which contained exact data on DOC, included patients with confusion, delirium, convulsion, and alcohol withdrawal, answering a post hoc defined research question. Patients were separated to Non-DOC and DOC, whereas DOC was further divided into non-alcohol related DOC (Non-ALC DOC) and ALC DOC groups. For statistical analysis, independent sample t-test, Mann-Whitney, Chi-squared, or Fisher exact test were used. ResultsFrom the 1220 patients, 47 (3.9%) developed DOC, 23 (48.9%) cases were ALC DOC vs. 24 (51.1%) Non-ALC DOC. Analysis between the DOC and Non-DOC groups showed a higher incidence of severe AP (19.2% vs. 5.3%, p < 0.001), higher mortality (14.9% vs. 1.7%, p < 0.001), and a longer length of hospitalization (LOH) (Me = 11; IQR: 8–17 days vs. Me = 9; IQR: 6–13 days, p = 0.049) respectively. Patients with ALC DOC developed more frequently moderate AP vs. Non-ALC DOC (43.5% vs. 12.5%), while the incidence of severe AP was higher in Non-ALC vs. ALC DOC group (33.3% vs. 4.4%) (p < 0.001). LOH showed a tendency to be longer in Non-ALC DOC compared to ALC DOC, respectively (Me:13; IQR:7–20 days vs. Me:9.5; IQR:8–15.5 days, p = 0.119). ConclusionDOC during AP is associated with a higher rate of moderate and severe AP and increases the risk of mortality.

FOOD EXPENDITURE PATTERNS IN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS IN EGYPT(In Arabic)

The research aimed to study the relative importance of the individual annual expenditure on food and non-food expenditure, and the relative importance of individual annual expenditure on the main food groups in rural and urban Egypt in 2015, 17/2018. The research aimed to estimate expenditure elasticity of food commodities, In addition to study the effect of household size, the effect of the different region (rural and urban) and the different period on individual annual expenditure on food groups. The research depend on the secondary published data by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, Income, Expenditure and Consumption survey in 2015, 17/2018. The research depends on descriptive and quantitative methods to analyze data. The most important results were that expenditure on food and drink in rural Egypt represented a greater percentage than expenditure on food and drink in the urban of Egypt in 2015, 17/2018, and expenditure on food and drink in 17/2018 represented a greater percentage than expenditure on food and drink in 2015. Expenditure elasticity of food groups in general is less than one, which indicates that all food groups are necessary commodities for the consumer in 2015 compared with 17/2018. The household size has significant statistically effect on the all food groups except for fish group in 2015 compared with 17/2018. The effect of different region (rural, urban) on individual annual expenditure has a significant statistical effect on fish group, sugar and sugary foods group, dairy, cheese, eggs group, and non-alcoholic drinks group in 2015 compared with 17/2018. Effect of different period on individual annual expenditure has a significant statistical on the different food groups in 2015 compared with 17/2018. Conclusively, the study recommends that necessary limit the population increase, and spread food awareness among the community members especially in rural areas.

Heart Transplant Outcomes in Patients with Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy

We sought to better characterize differences in transplant outcomes between patients with alcoholic cardiomyopathy and those with other forms of cardiomyopathy in a national cohort. 63,142 OHT recipients were identified from UNOS (1987-2019) of which 224 had alcoholic cardiomyopathy as indication for HT. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was adjusted for age, sex, DM2, ethnicity, ischemic time, dialysis, life support, waitlist time and HLA mismatch. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated comparing survival outcomes in patients with alcoholic cardiomyopathy vs. patients with non-alcoholic cardiomyopathy post-OHT, including ischemic, restrictive, dilated, hypertrophic and other. The alcoholic cardiomyopathy group had 224 patients and the non-alcoholic cardiomyopathy group had 62,918 patients. Both cohorts were similar in age, diabetes, smoking status, ischemic time, and need for mechanical support prior to HT. The alcoholic cardiomyopathy cohort was more likely to be male (p<0.001), Black or Hispanic (p<0.001), and history of prior cardiac surgery (p<0.001). No difference in waitlist time was observed. The alcoholic cardiomyopathy cohort had a PRA greater than 20% (p=0.004) and was more likely to die of cardiovascular causes (p=0.005). Overall survival (1, 5, 10 years) was alcoholic cardiomyopathy (85, 67, 47%), non-alcoholic cardiomyopathy (87, 73, 54%) (log rank p=0.0105). 12-year survival for alcoholic cardiomyopathy patients was worse than any other type of cardiomyopathy group (Figure). Post-HT Survival was the lowest in the alcoholic cardiomyopathy cohort compared to post-HT outcomes for all other types of cardiomyopathies. Patient with alcoholic cardiomyopathy tended to have greater sensitization and prior cardiac surgery, however further study is warranted to further delineate factors contributing to this impaired survival.

Effects of lycopene on metabolism of glycolipid and inflammation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease rats

To investigate the effects of lycopene on metabolism of glycolipid and inflammation in rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. According to body weight, sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group, non-alcoholic fatty liver model group, 20, 60 mg/kg lycopene intervention groups, with 15 rats in each group. The control group was fed normal diet, and the other 3 groups were fed high-fat and high-fructose diet for 4 weeks to establish the model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. After modeling, the intervention groups were fed lycopene of different doses by gavage. After 8 weeks of continuous feeding, the rats were sacrificed, the body weight and liver weight were weighed, and the liver index was calculated. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the morphological changes of liver tissue. Serum was collected, fasting blood glucose(FBG), fasting insulin(INS), and insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR) were calculated; Liver function indicators alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST) were measured; Serum triglycerides(TG), total cholesterol(TC), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C) and levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-18(IL-18) and interleukin-1β(IL-1β) were measured. Compared with the control group, the liver weight and liver index in the model group increased by 27% and 24%, respectively; And steatosis occurred in the liver tissue; The levels of serum ALT, TG, TC, LDL-C, IL-6, IL-1β were significantly increased, the level of serum HDL-C was significantly decreased(P&lt;0. 05). Compared with the model group, liver weight, liver index, levels of serum ALT, TG, FBG, IL-6 and IL-1β were significantly lower in the 20, 60 mg/kg lycopene intervention groups(P&lt;0. 05), the INS and HOMA-IR index showed a downward trend; Liver tissue lesions were reduced to different degrees, and the effect was more significant in the 60 mg/kg lycopene group. Lycopene can improve non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by regulating glycolipid metabolism and reducing levels of inflammatory cytokines in rats.

Effects of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and non-alcoholic or alcoholic elevated liver enzymes on incidence of diabetes following lifestyle intervention: A subanalysis of the J-DOIT1.

ObjectivesUsing annual health check‐up data, the aim of this study was to identify target populations for lifestyle interventions to effectively prevent diabetes in a real‐world setting.MethodsThe Japan Diabetes Outcome Intervention Trial‐1, a prospective, cluster‐randomized controlled trial, was launched to test if year‐long telephone‐delivered lifestyle support by health professionals can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in people with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) identified at health check‐ups. A total of 2607 participants aged 20‐65 years with IFG were randomized to an intervention arm (n = 1240) or a control arm (n = 1367). We performed subgroup analysis to examine the effects of the intervention on the incidence of T2D in participants with body mass index (BMI) ≥25, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and non‐alcoholic or alcoholic elevated liver enzymes at the baseline. Cox regression analysis adjusted for sex was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs).ResultsIn addition to IFG, the presence of BMI ≥25, MetS, and elevated liver enzymes increased the incidence of diabetes by two‐ or three‐fold. During a median follow‐up period of 4.9 years, only the non‐alcoholic elevated liver enzyme group showed a low incidence rate owing to lifestyle interventions (adjusted HR: 0.42, 95% confidence interval: 0.18‐0.98).ConclusionThe results suggest that people who have IFG and non‐alcoholic elevated liver enzymes are a good target population for lifestyle interventions to effectively reduce the incidence of diabetes in a real‐world setting.

Pyridoxamine improves metabolic and microcirculatory complications associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

We investigated the protective effects of pyridoxamine against metabolic and microcirculatory complications in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was established by a high-fat diet administration over 28weeks. Pyridoxamine was administered between weeks 20 and 28. The recruitment of leukocytes and the number of vitamin A-positive hepatic stellate cells were examined by in vivo microscopy. Laser speckle contrast imaging was used to evaluate microcirculatory hepatic perfusion. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances measurement and RT-PCR were used for oxidative stress and inflammatory parameters. advanced glycation end products were evaluated by fluorescence spectroscopy. The increase in body, liver, and fat weights, together with steatosis and impairment in glucose metabolism observed in the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease group were attenuated by pyridoxamine treatment. Regarding the hepatic microcirculatory parameters, rats with high-fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease showed increased rolling and adhesion of leukocytes, increased hepatic stellate cells activation, and decreased tissue perfusion, which were reverted by pyridoxamine. Pyridoxamine protected against the increased hepatic lipid peroxidation observed in the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease group. Pyridoxamine treatment was associated with increased levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) mRNA transcripts in the liver. Pyridoxamine modulates oxidative stress, advanced glycation end products, TNF-α transcripts levels, and metabolic disturbances, being a potential treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-associated microcirculatory and metabolic complications.

The Role of Wnt/beta-Catenin Signal Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and the Effect of Atorvastatin Intervention

The purpose of this study was to analyze the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in rats and study the efficacy of atorvastatin intervention. One hundred Sprague Dawley rats were selected as test system. These rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, the control group, the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease group, high-dose atorvastatin group, medium-dose atorvastatin group and low-dose atorvastatin group, each containing 20 animals. An equal dose of sodium carboxymethylcellulose was applied to the model group and the control group; while atorvastatin perfusion was given to the other 3 groups. The levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein and malondialdehyde were compared among the groups. The serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, triacylglycerol and total cholesterol of the high-fat diet model group were significantly higher; moreover, the expression levels of MMP2, MMP9, Wnt1, Wnt4, host-catenin were significantly elevated. Treatment with atorvastatin could effectively ameliorate this abnormal condition but at high doses. Atorvastatin appears to inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway and achieve good curative effect against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Correlation of serum aspartate aminotransferase level to platelet count ratio index with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score

In case of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the ratio of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level to platelet count index has been proposed as a non-invasive and readily available tool for the assessment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The study was conducted on 50 non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patient (25 non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and 25 simple steatosis). The mean (± SD) serum AST level in the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis group was 55.2 ± 30.1 IU/L whereas in simple steatosis group it was 33.6 ± 20.0 IU/L. The mean platelet count in the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis group was 303.1 ± 68.7 x 109 /L whereas in the simple steatosis group it was 327.8 ± 66.8 x 109/L. The mean AST platelet ratio index (APRI) score in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis group was 0.5 ± 0.3 and in the simple steatosis group it was 0.3 ± 0.2. In conclusion, the APRI was significantly higher in the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis group than the simple steatosis group.

Assessing the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma by combining liver stiffness and the controlled attenuation parameter

Ultrasound technology can now be used for liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and for evaluating the amount of hepatic fat quantitatively known as the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). This study aimed to determine the applicable cut-off values of LSM and the CAP for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to investigate their clinical usefulness for assessing HCC risk in patients with chronic liver disease. A total of 1054 patients (88 with primary HCC and 966 without HCC) whose LSM and the CAP were measured by transient elastography with clinically evident hepatitisC virus (419 patients), hepatitisB virus (377 patients), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (258 patients) were enrolled in this study. Subsequently, a total of 966 patients who did not have HCC initially were followed, and the usefulness of the cut-off values of LSM and CAP for HCC development were evaluated. In hepatitisC virus patients, the incidence of HCC development was significantly higher among those with a combination of LSM ≥8.0kPa and CAP ≤221dB/m than among those with other values (log-rank test 0.0239, hazard ratio 2.66, 95%CI 1.07-6.47, P= 0.0362). In non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients, the incidence of HCC development was significantly higher among those with a combination of LSM ≥5.4kPa and CAP ≤265dB/m than among others (log-rank test 0.0040, hazard ratio 8.91, 95% CI 1.47-67.97, P= 0.0192). In the hepatitisC virus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease groups, a combination of LSM and the CAP cut-off values would be useful for screening to identify the high-risk group for primary HCC development.

The effects of non-alcoholic beer on response inhibition: An open-label study

Three experiments were conducted to test the following hypothesis: the taste, smell, and sight of non-alcoholic beer (alcohol cue) will induce a conditioned response even when participants know that the beer is non-alcoholic. In Experiments 1A and 1B, the participants who drank beer at least once a month were divided into a non-alcoholic beer group and a water group. After being told that their beverage was alcohol-free, participants in the experiment group drank non-alcoholic beer, while those in the control group drank water. Subsequently, all participants completed a Go/No-Go task. In Experiment 1A, the change from baseline in false alarms did not significantly differ between the groups; however, in Experiment 1B, the change from baseline in false alarms was greater in the non-alcoholic beer group than in the water group. That is, an alcohol-like effect only occurred in Experiment 1B. A correlation analysis combining the results of Experiments 1A and 1B revealed a significant positive correlation between the change from baseline in false alarms and age (an estimate of beer intake experience) in the non-alcoholic beer group only. Then, to examine the effect of age on the results more precisely, an older sample (mean age, 50 years) was recruited for Experiment 2. Among the older participants, the change from baseline in false alarms was greater in the non-alcoholic beer group than in the water group. Taken together, the results suggest that non-alcoholic beer impairs inhibitory responses (i.e., produces a conditioned response) in older drinkers because these drinkers more strongly associate the alcohol conditioned stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus than do younger participants.

Alcoholism gender differences in brain responsivity to emotional stimuli.

Men and women may use alcohol to regulate emotions differently, with corresponding differences in neural responses. We explored how the viewing of different types of emotionally salient stimuli impacted brain activity observed through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) from 42 long-term abstinent alcoholic (25 women) and 46 nonalcoholic (24 women) participants. Analyses revealed blunted brain responsivity in alcoholic compared to nonalcoholic groups, as well as gender differences in those activation patterns. Brain activation in alcoholic men (ALCM) was significantly lower than in nonalcoholic men (NCM) in regions including rostral middle and superior frontal cortex, precentral gyrus, and inferior parietal cortex, whereas activation was higher in alcoholic women (ALCW) than in nonalcoholic women (NCW) in superior frontal and supramarginal cortical regions. The reduced brain reactivity of ALCM, and increases for ALCW, highlighted divergent brain regions and gender effects, suggesting possible differences in the underlying basis for development of alcohol use disorders.

The effect of donor alcohol abuse on outcomes following heart transplantation.

Current guidelines recommend against the use of hearts from donors that abuse alcohol. We explored the effect of donor alcohol abuse (AA) on cardiac allograft function and outcomes in heart transplant (HTx) recipients. Overall, 370 HTx recipients were divided into two groups: (a) the alcoholic donor group (AD, n=58) and (b) the non-alcoholic donor group (NAD, n=312). Recipients in the AD group had a slower heart rate (86±13 vs 93±13, P=0.004) and an increased incidence of early atrial fibrillation (AF) (30% vs 11%, P=0.003). Echocardiographic left ventricular mass was higher among alcoholic donors (171.7±66.7 vs 151.6±54.7, P=0.02). This difference remained present 1year following HTx (185±43 vs 166±42, P=0.007). E/E' was higher in the AD group (9.5±3.9 vs 8.4±2.9, P=0.04) and a larger number of AD recipients had a ventilatory equivalent for VCO2 >34 (50% vs 31%, P=0.04) on cardiopulmonary exercise test. There was no significant difference in rejection, cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), or survival between the groups. Our data suggest that donor AA does not impact rejection, CAV, or intermediate-term survival, but may cause increased incidence of post-HTx AF and impaired cardiac allograft diastolic function.

Study to compare hematological parameters in alcoholic and non-alcoholic individuals

Background: Alcoholism represents one of the most serious worldwide socioeconomic health problems. It is one of the leading causes of preventable mortality, second only to cigarette smoking. Multiple organs can be involved such as hepatobiliary system, cardiovascular system, central nervous system, and hematopoietic system. Impact of alcohol on hematopoietic system divided into direct and indirect effects. Anemia is a predominant feature among chronic alcoholics. Aim and Objective: The study is done to know hematological parameters in alcoholics as compared to non-alcoholic individuals. Materials and Methods: Twenty-five adult patients who are moderate alcoholics, 25 patients who are severe alcoholics, and 25 adult patients who are non-alcoholics were selected. Hematological parameters such as hemoglobin, red blood cell (RBC) count, total white blood cells count, Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), MCH concentration (MCHC), and platelet (PLT) count were taken for the study. Statistical analysis was done. P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: Mean hemoglobin, mean RBC count, mean MCH, and MCHC were normal among the non-alcoholic group and it started decreasing among moderate alcoholics and more so with severe alcoholics, and a similar type of result was also seen with total count and PLT count and the difference was found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: This shows that alcoholic subjects were suffering from anemia. This study will help to create awareness of the diagnosis of anemia by estimating low hemoglobin levels in alcoholic subjects.