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Biological Responses to Administered Interferon in Alcoholics
Author(s) -
Ono K.,
Sata M.,
Murashima S.,
Fukuizumi K.,
Suzuki H.,
Tanikawa K.
Publication year - 1996
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.1530-0277.1996.tb01699.x
Subject(s) - medicine , interferon , chronic hepatitis , beta 2 microglobulin , chronic alcoholic , immunology , alcohol , endocrinology , gastroenterology , virus , biology , biochemistry
To elucidate the influence of chronic alcohol intake on interferon (IFN) therapy in patients with various diseases, 3 million units of natural IFN (nHulFN‐αLy) was administered once to alcoholics, nonalcoholic chronic hepatitis C (CH‐C) patients, and healthy subjects. The serial changes of serum activity of 2′4′ oligoadenylate synthetase, Serum levels of β 2 ‐microglobulin, C‐reactive protein (CRP), and body temperature were monitored. The increase in the activity of 2′‐5′ oligoadenylate synthetase, the response of serum‐reactive protein, and body temperature after IFN administration were significantly lower in the alcoholics than those in CH‐C group, and healthy subjects (control group). The serum β 2 ‐microglobulin level was already higher in the alcoholics before IFN administration than those of the control group and the CH‐C group. These findings suggest that physiological responses to exogenous IFN in alcoholics are generally decreased. Hence, for the maximum effect of IFN therapy, it is important for patients to abstain from alcohol intake and for doctors to carefully consider the timing of initiation.