ABSTRACT
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) was studied in 86 chronic ethanol consumers, by determination of endoesophageal pH using a Heidelberg telemetring capsule. All the subjects were subjected to radiologic and endoscopic explorations in some cases completed by esophageal mucosa biopsy. In 49 subjects (56.4%) GER was present in various degrees according to the calculated score; medium and high intensity reflux in 37 cases (44%). GER was symptomatic in 62% of the cases and 30 patients (35.7%) presented esophagitis with columnar epithelium metaplasia in 3 cases. The intensity of reflux and the presence of esophagitis were found to be correlated with the degree of alcoholic "impregnation". Radiologic exploration detected GER in only 22 patients (44.9%).
Subject(s)
Alcoholism/physiopathology , Esophagus/physiopathology , Gastroesophageal Reflux/physiopathology , Telemetry/instrumentation , Alcoholism/complications , Alcoholism/diagnosis , Esophagoscopy , Esophagus/diagnostic imaging , Fasting/physiology , Female , Gastroesophageal Reflux/diagnosis , Gastroesophageal Reflux/etiology , Humans , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Male , Middle Aged , RadiographyABSTRACT
In 24 patients with alcoholic hepatopathy (HA) the long-time (two years) influence--induced by the alcohol withdrawal (16 patients) or continuation (8 patients)--on the immunological, humoral and cellular modifications was followed. An important improvement of the immunological disorders, mainly the cellular ones, in the weaned patients was noticed: the increase of T lymphocytes with "reestablishment" of the T lymphocyte subsets equilibrium by increasing the T1 subpopulation--s/c: the decrease of the active T lymphocytes and of the B lymphocyte population. These changes led to humoral immune improvement. In the non-withdrawal patients, the immunological disorders continued and became even worse.
