[Carbonic anhydrase activity in male chronic alcoholics. Statistical analysis of correlations apropos of 74 cases]

Changes in cadmium blood levels and erythrocyte contents and in carbonic anhydrase activity (C.A.A.) were studied comparatively in 74 male subjects: 37 chronic alcoholics and 37 healthy age-matched controls. Chronic alcoholics exhibited significantly higher serum and erythrocyte cadmium concentrations and lower CAA than controls. Cadmium levels were correlated with the CAA. There was a negative correlation between the CAA and the mean corpuscular volume, daily alcohol intake and duration of the intemperance, in contrast with a positive correlation demonstrated for cadmium concentrations.