Lymphocyte measures in treatment-naïve 13-15-year old adolescents with alcohol use disorders
Date
2011
Authors
Naude C.E.
Bouic P.
Senekal M.
Kidd M.
Ferrett H.L.
Fein G.
Carey P.D.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Many adolescents have chronic exposure to hazardous levels of alcohol. This is likely to be a significant predictor of health outcomes, including those related to immunity. We assessed substance use and biochemical immunological parameters in heavy drinking adolescents (meeting DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence) and light/nondrinking control adolescents in Cape Town. Lifetime alcohol dose, measured in standard units of alcohol, was orders of magnitude higher in alcohol-dependent (AD) participants than controls. All adolescent AD had a "weekends-only" style of alcohol consumption. The AD group was chosen to represent relatively "pure" AD, with minimal other drug use and no psychiatric diagnoses. With these narrow parameters in place, we found that AD adolescents were lymphopenic compared with controls, with significantly lower mean numbers of absolute circulating CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T-lymphocytes. On conclusion, we found that adolescent AD individuals with excessive alcohol intake, in a weekend binge-drinking style but without comorbid drug or psychiatric disorders, may be at increased risk of lymphopenia. This alcohol misuse may increase infectious disease susceptibility (including TB and HIV) by reducing immune system capabilities. Complex interactions of alcohol with other documented high-risk activities may further compound health risks. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.
Description
Keywords
Adolescents, Alcohol, Alcohol use disorders, Immunity, Lymphocytes, South africa, adolescent, alcohol consumption, alcoholism, article, binge drinking, CD3+ T lymphocyte, CD4 CD8 ratio, CD4+ T lymphocyte, CD8+ T lymphocyte, clinical article, comorbidity, controlled study, diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, disease association, disease predisposition, drinking behavior, female, health hazard, high risk population, human, human cell, Human immunodeficiency virus infection, immune deficiency, immunological parameters, lymphocyte count, lymphocytopenia, male, natural killer cell, regulatory T lymphocyte, South Africa, tuberculosis
Citation
Alcohol
45
5
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-79959538220&partnerID=40&md5=31ac966623ffcdc2f49b566e12061ff5
45
5
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-79959538220&partnerID=40&md5=31ac966623ffcdc2f49b566e12061ff5