| Abstract: | In the present study, we report on alterations in plasma lipid, lipoprotein and apolipoprotein patterns in three separate populations of alcoholic patients, one without liver damage (Group I), a second presenting steatosis or mild alcoholic hepatitis or both (Group II) and a third with alcoholic cirrhosis (Group III), using a healthy, normolipidemic, nonalcoholic group as controls (Group C). Total plasma cholesterol levels were elevated in Groups II and III when compared with Groups I and C, while the ratio of esterified to free cholesterol was considerably lower in Group III than in the other groups. Plasma apo-AI levels were higher in Groups I and II than in Group C, but varied over a wide range in Group III. Apo-AII was present at higher concentrations in Groups I and II than in both Groups III and C. In contrast, no significant differences were detected in total apo-B levels, irrespective of the group. Modifications in the chemical composition of plasma lipoproteins primarily concerned a reduction in the cholesteryl ester content of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in Group III, this being compensated by a reciprocal increase in triglyceride. In addition, Group III lipoproteins, with the exception of HDL3 (density 1.100 to 1.140 gm per ml), exhibited a greater content of phospholipids than those of corresponding density from patients in Groups I and II. No significant differences were found in very low-density lipoprotein concentrations, while LDL levels increased in parallel with the severity of liver injury. In Groups I and II, HDL2 concentrations were elevated relative to Group C, while HDL3 decreased in parallel with the degree of impairment of liver function and thus from Group C to Group III.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) |
