[Immune status studies after one-time alcohol consumption in healthy subjects]

To ascertain whether once-only intake of a large amount of alcohol causes measurable effects on the immune system of healthy persons.

Cytokine levels, lymphocyte subpopulations and mitogen stimulation were measured in eleven healthy nonalcohol drinking volunteers (eight men, three women; mean age 30.5 [26-36] years; mean weight 71.4 kg) after a single intake of 80 g ethanol (corresponding to 1.12 g/kg).

There were no changes in the concentrations of tumour necrosis factor alpha, interleukins 1 alpha and 1 beta, 3, 6, 10, soluble interleukin-6 receptor, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, gamma-interferon and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor. A tendency towards an increase was measured regarding the CD-4 lymphocyte counts as well as the concentration of soluble interleukin-2 receptors and intercellular adhesion molecules (ICAM-1). Interleukins 4 and 8 were low normal. Lymphocyte activity was slightly reduced in the mixed lymphocyte cytotoxicity test. No clear-cut changes were observed in the results of the other mitogen stimulation tests.

These data show that once-only intake of a large amount of alcohol does not produce measurable abnormalities in the immune system of healthy persons who ordinarily abstain from drinking alcohol.