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ANNOUNCEMENT
Announcement
Oxford University Press
1989-01-01 00:00:00.0
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http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/24/1/1
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Copyright (C) 1989, Medical Council on Alcohol
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:alcalc:24/1/112015-05-19HighWireOUPalcalc:24:1
LONGEVITY AMONG ETHNIC GROUPS IN ALCOHOLIC LIVER DISEASE
MENDENHALL, CHARLES L.
GARTSIDE, PETER S.
ROSELLE, GARY A.
GROSSMAN, CHARLES J.
WEESNER, ROBERT E.
CHEDIDH, ANTONIO
V.A. Cooperative Study Group,
Articles
As part of a multicenter V.A. Cooperative Study, 437 male veterans with varying stages of alcoholic liver injury were followed over a 4.5 year period. Their ethnic distribution consisted of 256 Caucasians, 109 black Afro-Americans, 63 Puerto Rican Hispanics, and 9 Native American Indians. Survival analyses revealed significant differences between groups (<it>P</it> = 0.0002): 66% of Afro-Americans were still living at 42 months; Caucasians were intermediate with 40% survival; and only 28% of Hispanics were alive. The number of Native American Indians enrolled was too small to draw conclusions but none of those enrolled survived beyond 24 months. Survival regression analysis of 30 clinical, laboratory, histologic and nutritional parameters, revealed the following significant risk factors: clinical severity (<it>P</it> < 0.0001), histologic severity (<it>P</it> < 0.0001), race (<it>P</it> = 0.001), age (<it>P</it> = 0.002), BUN (<it>P</it> = 0.01) and ALT (<it>P</it> = 0.02). These analyses indicated that ethnicity, independent of other variables, is significantly associated with outcome from the disease.
Oxford University Press
1989-01-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/24/1/11
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Copyright (C) 1989, Medical Council on Alcohol
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:alcalc:24/1/212015-05-19HighWireOUPalcalc:24:1
SCREENING FOR ALCOHOL RELATED PROBLEMS IN THE ANTENATAL CLINIC; AN ASSESSMENT OF DIFFERENT METHODS
WATERSON, E. J.
MURRAY-LYON, IAIN M.
Articles
This paper assesses different methods of asking about alcohol consumption in the antenatal clinic. Reliable screening methods are essential if appropriate intervention is to be accurately targeted. Women attending antenatal clinic for the first time were questioned about their alcohol consumption in the period immediately before confirmation of pregnancy. Quantity-frequency questions, a question about bingeing and the Cage Questions were asked as part of the routine clinical history by the interviewing doctor. In addition, the women were given a further self-completed questionnaire which contained more detailed questions about the usual quantity and frequency of drinking beers, wines and spirits, the Cage Questions again and the Brief Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (BMAST). Asking simple quantity-frequency questions coupled with a question about bingeing during the clinical history was shown to be a quick and efficient method of estimating alcohol intake. Self-administered questionnaires were shown to be unnecessary and although the Cage Questions performed better than the BMAST, these alcoholism screening tests were found to be unreliable in this population in which drinking was generally at a low level.
Oxford University Press
1989-01-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/24/1/21
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Copyright (C) 1989, Medical Council on Alcohol
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:alcalc:24/1/32015-05-19HighWireOUPalcalc:24:1
ALCOHOLISM, ALCOHOL AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE
HAWTON, KEITH
FAGG, JOAN
MCKEOWN, STEPHEN P.
Articles
Abstract - Attempted suicide patients referred to a general hospital over a 10 year period were studied with regard to alcoholism and drinking in association with suicide attempts. Alcoholism was diagnosed in 7.9% of patients (14.6% of males and 4.2% females), and this diagnosis became proportionately more common in both sexes during the study period. However, only male alcoholic attempters showed an increase in absolute numbers during the study period, the increase in the proportion of females diagnosed as alcoholic being due to a decline in attempts by non-alcoholics. Particularly high rates of alcoholism were found in the unemployed of both sexes and in housewives. Alcoholic attempters were at greatly increased risk of making repeat attempts. Alcohol consumption shortly before a suicide attempt and as part of the act was extremely common, especially among alcoholics. In addition to increasing the likelihood of an attempt, alcohol may add considerably to the danger of overdoses. Careful investigation of drinking patterns should be an integral part of the assessment of all attempted suicide patients, and there should be close liaison between general hospital services for such patients and local alcoholism treatment services.
Oxford University Press
1989-01-01 00:00:00.0
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http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/24/1/3
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Copyright (C) 1989, Medical Council on Alcohol
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:alcalc:24/1/312015-05-19HighWireOUPalcalc:24:1
PYRIDOXAL PHOSPHATE ANNULS ACETALDEHYDE INHIBITION OF URIDINE UPTAKE BY HEPATOCYTES
KAKUMA, SINICHI
LEEVY, CARROLL B.
FRANK, OSCAR
BAKER, HERMAN
Articles
Methods were evaluated for depressing the acetaldehyde (AcH) inhibition of uridine uptake by Chang liver cells and isolated autologous liver cells, obtained by percutaneous liver biopsy from cases of alcoholic hepatitis. Hepatocytes so obtained were significantly more susceptible to AcH-induced inhibition of uridine uptake than hepatocytes from normal liver, alcoholic fatty liver, stable alcoholic cirrhosis and acute viral hepatitis. Benzylamine (an aldehyde buffer) and pyridoxal-5' phosphate (PLP) counteracted the inhibition of uridine uptake by AcH in vitro. We suggest that benzylamine neutralizes AcH toxicity through a Schiff-base condensation with AcH thus taking AcH out of the field of action. PLP protects against AcH-induced inhibition of uridine uptake by probably forming a Schiff base with cellular amino acids thus blocking further condensation of these amino groups with AcH. In this manner, uridine uptake by liver cells for RNA synthesis can proceed without interference by AcH.
Oxford University Press
1989-01-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/24/1/31
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Copyright (C) 1989, Medical Council on Alcohol
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:alcalc:24/1/352015-05-19HighWireOUPalcalc:24:1
EFFECT OF ACUTE ETHANOL INGESTION ON HUMAN GASTRIC LUMINAL PROSTAGLANDIN E2, PROSTAGLANDIN F2{alpha} AND 6-KETO-PROSTAGLANDIN F1{alpha}
BODE, CH.
GANZHORN, A.
BRAUNER, B.
BODE, J.CH.
Articles
In healthy human volunteers we evaluated the effect of a single oral dose of 1 g/kg of alcohol (12.5%, v/v) on the output of prostaglandin E<inf>2</inf>, prostaglandin F<inf>2α</inf> and 6-ketoprostaglandin F<inf>1α</inf> in the gastric juice. In control experiments performed at intervals of 5–8 days, the subjects received the identical volume of water. Ninety minutes after the ingestion of alcohol, or water, first the basal secretion and subsequently the secretion after injection of pentagastrin (6 μg/kg, i.m.) were collected over periods of 60 min. The concentrations of the three prostaglandins were determined by radio-immunoassay. After ingestion of alcohol, the volume of gastric juice in response to pentagastrin stimulation was reduced by 24.6%, as compared with the control period. Ingestion of alcohol led to a significant reduction in the concentration of prostaglandin E<inf>2</inf> (−42.7%) after stimulation with pentagastrin. The prostaglandin E<inf>2</inf> output per hour was markedly inhibited by the ingestion of alcohol, both in the basal period (−47%) and after stimulation with pentagastrin (−55%). While stimulation with pentagastrin did not influence the secretion of PGE<inf>2</inf> or PGF<inf>2α</inf>, the output of 6-keto-PGF<inf>1α</inf> increased appreciably (+88%) after the administration of pentagastrin. Alcohol also significantly (−28%) inhibited the secretion of 6-keto-PGF<inf>1α</inf> in the period following the administration of pentagastrin. It is supposed that the inhibition of the secretion of prostaglandin E<inf>2</inf> and 6-keto-prostaglandin F<inf>1α</inf> by acute alcohol ingestion, might be of significance for the development of alcohol-induced mucosal damage in the stomach.
Oxford University Press
1989-01-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/24/1/35
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oai:open-archive.highwire.org:alcalc:24/1/432015-05-19HighWireOUPalcalc:24:1
ETHANOL EXPOSURE ALTERS K+- BUT NOT BRADYKININ-INDUCED DOPAMINE RELEASE IN PC12 CELLS
OLDHAM, SUSAN B.
RITCHIE, TERRY
NOBLE, ERNEST P.
Articles
The effects of ethanol on [3H]dopamine release were investigated in cultured PC12 cells using two methods to stimulate dopamine release: exposure to depolarizing concentrations of extracellular K+ and incubation with the highly active secretagogue, bradykinin. Both K+ and bradykinin dose-dependently increased [3H]dopamine release. The mean ± S.E.M. EC50 for K+ was 35.8 ± 1.2 mM; for bradykinin it was 1.07 ± 0.23 × 10−7 M. The characteristics of the bradykinin-stimulated dopamine release showed it to be dependent on extracellular Ca2+ and was attenuated by 1 mM Co2+ or 1 mM Ni2+. However, release was unaffected by either the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel antagonist, verapamil, or the dihydropyridine (DHP) Ca2+ channel agonist, BAY K 8644. In contrast, 1 mM Co2+ completely blocked, verapamil inhibited and BAY K 8644 augmented K+-stimulated [3H]dopamine release. PC12 cells acutely exposed to ethanol (100 and 200 mM) showed diminished K+-stimulated [3H]dopamine release but an unaltered bradykinin-stimulated response. Cells exposed to 200 mM ethanol for 6 days showed significantly enhanced [3H]dopamine release in response to high concentrations of K+ but no changes were observed in their response to bradykinin. These data provide evidence that ethanol, within the same cell, can differentially affect neurotransmitter release, dependent upon the secretagogue used.
Oxford University Press
1989-01-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/24/1/43
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Copyright (C) 1989, Medical Council on Alcohol
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:alcalc:24/1/552015-05-19HighWireOUPalcalc:24:1
ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IN GUADELOUPE
MOUTET, J. P.
DEMEULEMEESTER, R.
RIFF, H.
GABRIEL, J. M.
PILEIRE, B.
ESCHWEGE, E.
study group HDA,
Articles
This study bears upon the patterns of alcohol consumption in Guadeloupe (French West Indies), and has been carried out over a representative sample of adults. Each subject was questioned about his or her consumption of alcoholic drinks and a blood sample taken to measure the biological indicators of chronic alcohol consumption. The resulting mean consumption has permitted Guadeloupeans to be classed among the world's foremost consumers of alcohol. For almost half of the adult population, this consumption takes place on a daily basis and therefore constitutes part of everyday life. The patterns of alcohol consumption are linked to sex, age, level of education, employment and socio-professional categories. The heavy-drinking man tends to be elderly, has a low level of education and is an agricultural worker; his consumption is based on rum. The woman is middle-aged and not working; her consumption is based on wine. These stated characteristics permit the setting up of tailored prevention programs.
Oxford University Press
1989-01-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/24/1/55
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Copyright (C) 1989, Medical Council on Alcohol
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:alcalc:24/1/632015-05-19HighWireOUPalcalc:24:1
PATIENT USE OF TREATMENT OPTIONS AT AN ATU AND RATINGS OF THEIR RELATIVE USEFULNESS
REES, DAVID W.
STONE, KIT
Articles
A sample of new patients attending an ATU was followed up for 6 months. All those who had completed at least 3 months of treatment were asked about the kinds of treatment they had received and their views about the usefulness of the various treatment options available (as were staff). Treatment outcome was assessed in terms of drinking behaviour and patient ratings of the severity of their drinking problem. The survey showed considerable variation in the intensity of treatment received; overall the cohort reduced their alcohol consumption substantially (particularly those who received more intensive treatment) and believed their drinking problem to be much less serious. Patient (and staff) views of the various treatment options are presented and discussed. Although staff and patients differed substantially in their views both groups showed little support for the involvement of relatives in treatment.
Oxford University Press
1989-01-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/24/1/63
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Copyright (C) 1989, Medical Council on Alcohol
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:alcalc:24/1/692015-05-19HighWireOUPalcalc:24:1
CALENDAR
Calendar
Oxford University Press
1989-01-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/24/1/69
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Copyright (C) 1989, Medical Council on Alcohol
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:alcalc:24/1/712015-05-19HighWireOUPalcalc:24:1
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announcements
Oxford University Press
1989-01-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/24/1/71
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Copyright (C) 1989, Medical Council on Alcohol