Protein turnover in abstinent and non-abstinent patients with alcoholic cirrhosis.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to measure the effect of chronic alcohol intake on leucine turnover in outpatients with stable alcoholic liver cirrhosis. METHODS: Protein turnover rate was measured using L [1-14C] leucine in ten outpatients with proven alcoholic cirrhosis and in five healthy controls. After the performance of the turnover, the patients were divided in two groups depending on the evidence of alcohol ingestion in the previous month. RESULTS: Non-abstinent patients had a significantly higher leucine flux and non-oxidative disposal (73.8 +/- 25.4 and 65.9 +/- 21.6) than abstinent cirrhotic patients (48.9 +/- 9.5 and 43.7 +/- 9.0) and normal controls 37.3 +/- 8.9 and 31.1 +/- 7.6 mumol/m2/min (p < 0.01). Leucine oxidation and serum leucine levels were similar in the three groups. CONCLUSION: Alcohol intake in alcoholic cirrhotic patients has a catabolic effect that could be associated with the nutritional imbalances observed in alcoholic liver disease.