SERUM FATTY ACID PATTERN IN CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS AFTER ACUTE ABUSE

Serum lipids were studied in 14 chronic alcoholic males, aged 30–56 years, after a bout of drinking. Ten male ward assistants, aged 22–58 years, served as controls. 1. No definite differences were found between alcoholics and controls in the level of total lipids and phospholipids in serum. There was a significant increase of serum cholesterol in the alcoholics compared to the controls. 2. Gas liquid, paper and thin-layer chromatographic determinations of the fatty acid composition of serum cholesteryl esters demonstrated significantly lower figures for linoleic acid and significantly higher figures for monounsaturated fatty acids in the alcoholics. 3. Gas liquid chromatographic determinations of the fatty acid composition of phosphoglycerides demonstrated that the decrease of linoleic acid and the increase of monounsaturated fatty acids were even more pronounced than in the cholesteryl esters. 4. Five alcoholics who were restudied two weeks after admission showed a normalization of the fatty acid pattern. The influence of diet and alcohol on the lipid pattern is discussed.