Utility of investigations by family physician of some biological parameters in chronic alcoholism

AIM: To assess some biological alterations induced by chronic alcohol consumption and its correlation with the ingestion period and severity of consumption. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study was carried out on a series of 98 individuals (age range 20 to 80 years), followed up for alcohol consumption; 45 age-matched persons which did not consume alcohol served as controls. In both series the following parameters were assessed: blood count, mean erythrocyte volume (MEV), platelet count (PC), mean platelet volume (MPV), gamma-glutamyl-transferase (GGT), alanine and aspartate transaminases (ALT, AST). RESULTS: The male/female distribution was 0.98; the average amount of alcohol consumed the last five years: within accepted limits (66.32%), moderate (16.32%), increased (17.36%). The results (average values) revealed, compared to the controls, an increase in MEV from 90.312 to 97.125 I3, normal values for PC and MPV, higher levels of AST and ALT, especially in the heavy drinkers, and a significant increase of GGT level. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic alcohol consumption induces the appearance of important alterations of some biological parameters, in correlation with the consumption period and alcohol amount. A systematic assessment of all of these biological parameters, carried out by the family physician, may be a useful tool in the early detection of severe alterations caused by excessive alcohol consumption.