BACKGROUND: An association between the development and severity of the acute respiratory distress syndrome has been described in individuals who abuse alcohol chronically, possibly through a mechanism involving the deficiency of pulmonary glutathione. In a rodent model of chronic alcohol abuse, this antioxidant contributes to the maintenance of alveolar-capillary membrane integrity. We postulated that humans who chronically abuse alcohol will have similar alterations in alveolar-capillary barrier function. METHODS: Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed in 18 healthy chronic alcoholics and 18 control subjects; total protein and glutathione concentrations were measured within the epithelial lining fluid. To examine possible protracted effects of alcohol abuse, a subset of 11 chronic alcoholic subjects underwent a second bronchoalveolar lavage after a week of abstinence. RESULTS: Chronic alcoholic subjects had significantly elevated protein concentrations compared with controls (8.64 microg protein/ng immunoglobulin A vs. 5.91 microg protein/ng immunoglobulin A, p = 0.01). After a week of abstinence, no significant increase in either the glutathione levels or normalization of the protein concentrations in the epithelial lining fluid was demonstrable. CONCLUSIONS: Increased protein levels in the epithelial lining fluid of individuals who abuse alcohol chronically may signify abnormal alveolar epithelial barrier function that does not appear to readily reverse after a period of abstinence.
BACKGROUND: An association between the development and severity of the acute respiratory distress syndrome has been described in individuals who abuse alcohol chronically, possibly through a mechanism involving the deficiency of pulmonaryglutathione. In a rodent model of chronic alcohol abuse, this antioxidant contributes to the maintenance of alveolar-capillary membrane integrity. We postulated that humans who chronically abuse alcohol will have similar alterations in alveolar-capillary barrier function. METHODS: Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed in 18 healthy chronic alcoholics and 18 control subjects; total protein and glutathione concentrations were measured within the epithelial lining fluid. To examine possible protracted effects of alcohol abuse, a subset of 11 chronic alcoholic subjects underwent a second bronchoalveolar lavage after a week of abstinence. RESULTS: Chronic alcoholic subjects had significantly elevated protein concentrations compared with controls (8.64 microg protein/ng immunoglobulin A vs. 5.91 microg protein/ng immunoglobulin A, p = 0.01). After a week of abstinence, no significant increase in either the glutathione levels or normalization of the protein concentrations in the epithelial lining fluid was demonstrable. CONCLUSIONS: Increased protein levels in the epithelial lining fluid of individuals who abuse alcohol chronically may signify abnormal alveolar epithelial barrier function that does not appear to readily reverse after a period of abstinence.
Authors: Ellen L Burnham; Joe M McCord; Swapan Bose; Lou Ann S Brown; Robert House; Marc Moss; Jeanette Gaydos Journal: Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol Date: 2012-01-20 Impact factor: 5.464
Authors: Jeffrey S Otis; Patrick O Mitchell; Corey D Kershaw; Pratibha C Joshi; David M Guidot Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2008-03-13 Impact factor: 3.455
Authors: Jeanette Gaydos; Alicia McNally; Ruixin Guo; R William Vandivier; Philip L Simonian; Ellen L Burnham Journal: Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol Date: 2016-01-08 Impact factor: 5.464
Authors: David M Berkowitz; Pajman A Danai; Stephanie Eaton; Marc Moss; Greg S Martin Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2009-07-01 Impact factor: 3.455