Plasma lipids and apolipoprotein A-I and A-II levels in alcoholic patients

This prospective study compared total plasma lipids, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and apolipoproteins A-I (apo A-I) and A-II (apo A-II) in 72 alcoholic patients and in 285 nonalcoholic controls. The HDL-C in the alcoholic group was not significantly different from that in the nonalcoholic controls. Alcoholic men had significantly higher levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and lower levels of apo A-I when compared with nonalcoholic controls. Alcoholic women had significantly higher levels of cholesterol and apo A-II when compared with nonalcoholic controls. Serial measurements in 25 alcoholic patients showed a significant decline in HDL-C, apo A-I, and apo A-II levels during the 4-wk hospital stay. HDL-C demonstrated its expected inverse relationship with plasma triglyceride level and its direct relationship with apo A-I, apo A-II, and the hepatic enzyme aspartate aminotransferase.