Advanced glycation end-products in patients with chronic alcohol misuse

Aims: The aim of our study was to determine serum levels ofadvanced glycation end-products (AGE) in patients with chronicalcohol misuse and to examine their relationship to markersof nutrition and inflammation. Methods: The study group consistedof 23 heavy alcohol drinkers treated for chronic alcohol misuseand 22 healthy controls. Studied parameters included AGE (fluorescence,CML – carboxymethyllysine and pentosidine), lipids, glucose,albumin, leptin, prealbumin, C-reactive protein (CRP) and pregnancy-associatedplasma protein A (PAPP-A). Results: AGE fluorescence was significantlyhigher in chronic alcoholic patients than in healthy subjects(4.3 ± 0.7 x 10³ vs 3.7 ± 0.5 x 10³ AU/g protein,P < 0.005), while CML was only slightly but not significantlyelevated (569.1 ± 106.6 vs 545.5 ± 85.8 µg/l)and pentosidine levels did not differ (105.4 ± 29 vs102.2 ± 23 nmol/l). In alcoholics, AGE correlate significantlynegatively with leptin (r = –0.46, P < 0.05) and pentosidinewith prealbumin (r = –0.43, P < 0.05), otherwise therewas no relationship between AGE and other biochemical parameters(glucose, cholesterol, albumin, CRP, PAPP-A). Conclusion: Ourfindings suggest a more complex relationship among advancedglycation, oxidative stress and metabolism of ethanol and theirlink to nutrition and nutrition-associated parameters. AGE asa result of oxidative stress might be similarly linked to increasedcardiovascular risk of heavy alcohol drinkers, as are malnutritionand inflammation; however, further studies are needed to confirmthis hypothesis.