TITLE:
Chronic Alcohol Consumption Affects Serum Enzymes Levels in the HIV-Infected Patients on Stavudine (d4T)/Lamivudine (3TC)/Nevirapine (NVP) Treatment Regimen
AUTHORS:
Godfrey S. Bbosa, David B. Kyegombe, William W. Anokbonggo, Aloysius Lubega, Apollo Mugisha, Jasper Ogwal-Okeng
KEYWORDS:
Chronic Ethanol Use; Serum Enzymes; HIV-Infected Patients; Antiretroviral (ARVs) Drugs
JOURNAL NAME:
Pharmacology & Pharmacy,
Vol.5 No.2,
February
19,
2014
ABSTRACT: Chronic alcohol use is a common problem globally among the HIV-infected patients on ARV treatment regimens, leading to severe liver damage and increase in serum enzymes. The study
determined effect of chronic alcohol intake on serum enzymes (alanine
aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT)) in HIV-infected patients on d4T/3TC/NVP treatment regimen in Uganda
using the WHO alcohol use disorders’ identification test (AUDIT) tool and chronic alcohol use biomarkers
(ALT, AST, GGT, AST/ALT ≥ 2.0 and mean
corpuscular volume (MCV)). A case control study
using repeated measure design with serial measurements model was used. Alcohol
use biomarkers were used to standardize the gender differences in alcohol use.
A total of 41 patients (21 alcohol group and 20 control group) were followed up
for 9 months with blood sampling done at 3 month intervals. The serum enzymes’ levels were determined by using the Cobas Intergra 400 Plus
analyzer system. The mean GGT levels were higher in chronic alcohol use group
as compared to control group in both groups. The levels were
above reference ranges during 6 month and three times higher during 9-month follow-up period for both chronic alcohol use self reporting WHO AUDIT tool and biomarkers’ groups. Generally, the mean AST, ALT and AST/ALT levels were slightly
higher in alcohol use group as compared to control group
and were slightly higher in both groups as compared to reference ranges during
the 9 month follow-up period. Chronic alcohol consumption by HIV-infected
patients on d4T/3TC/NVP drug regimen increased GGT and AST/ALT serum enzyme
levels and hence was used as chronic alcohol use biomarkers.