Alcohol and marrow granulocyte reserve response to etiocholanolone

Measurement of the size of marrow granulocyte reserve (MGR) was performed in ten alcoholic patients with clinically uncomplicated Laennec's cirrhosis and in ten healthy subjects by etiocholanolone injection before and during oral 95% ethyl alcohol administration (30 to 60 ml in orange juice every 6 hours for 48 hours). No significant differences in bone marrow response to etiocholanolone were found between normal subjects studied before and during alcohol administration. The group of cirrhotic patients failed to demonstrate a reduction of MGR when compared to control subjects and alcohol administration did not result in an abnormal response to etiocholanolone. It is suggested that the MGR is normal in most alcoholic patients with clinically uncomplicated Laennec's cirrhosis and is not influenced by acute alcohol ingestion. These results are in contrast to other previous reports in which bacterial endotoxin was used to estimate granulocyte reserve.