Cerebral blood flow velocity and erythrocyte deformability in heavy alcohol drinkers at the acute stage and two weeks after withdrawal.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to measure changes in blood flow velocity (V(mean)) and erythrocyte deformability (ED) in heavy alcohol drinkers after withdrawal and the relationship between them. The subjects were 32 heavy alcohol drinkers, mean age 47 years (22 men and 10 women). V(mean) was determined by a transcranial 2 MHz pulsed Doppler probe. ED was estimated by the method of cation-osmotic haemolysis (COH). The results were compared with those for 20 healthy volunteers. The study revealed a significant decrease in V(mean) and ED after admission. V(mean) in the left middle cerebral artery (MCA) was 45.1+/-10.2 cm/s as compared with 59.1+/-7.5 cm/s in controls; in the right MCA, it was 46.8+/-11.3 cm/s as compared with 59.0+/-7.6 cm/s in controls (p < 0.001 in each case). But while V(mean) was significantly increased after 14 days withdrawal (54.4+/-10.4 cm/s in the left MCA, p < 0.001, and 54.3+/-12.1 cm/s in the right MCA, p < 0.01), ED showed only small change. A significant difference between V(mean) in men and women was found. The changes in V(mean) after withdrawal are more influenced by plasma composition than by changes in ED.