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Serum β ‐Hexosaminidase in Young University Students
Author(s) -
Nyström Mikael,
Peräsalo Juhani,
Salaspuro Mikko
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1991.tb00617.x
Subject(s) - mean corpuscular volume , pill , alcohol consumption , medicine , alcohol , population , endocrinology , physiology , chemistry , biochemistry , environmental health , pharmacology , hematocrit
In a sample of 203 first‐year university students, serum β ‐hexosaminidase ( β ‐HEX) was studied as a possible marker of heavy drinking. There are no previous studies on β ‐HEX in a young nonalcoholic population. All students were healthy and without regular medication except the use of p‐pills in 49 of the 123 female students. Alcohol consumption was measured on a frequency‐volume scale. Serum β ‐HEX did not correlate with reported drinking, γ‐glutamyl transferase (GGT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) nor alcohol problems. The mean β ‐HEX of 26 teetotalers did not differ from that of the heaviest drinking group ( n = 25). A new finding was a significant ( p = 0.009) increase of serum β ‐HEX in female students using oral contraceptives. We conclude that serum β ‐HEX is a poor indicator of alcohol consumption in young university students and if elevated the use of p‐pills must be considered.