ABSTRACT
AIM: The aim of the study was to compare the activity of N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase (HEX) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) in the serum of alcohol dependent people hospitalised after a long-lasting drinking period. METHOD: The studied group consisted of 30 alcohol dependent men hospitalised after a long-lasting drinking period. The control group consisted of 30 healthy men--social drinkers. The activity of HEX was determined with colorimetric method Chatteriee (modified by Zwierz). The activity of GGT was determined by kinetic method. RESULTS: The medium activity of HEX in the serum in the studied group on the 1st day of abstinence was 2.3 times higher than the control group (p < 0.05). The activity of HEX decreased during abstinence. Starting from the 10th day of abstinence the activity of HEX was similar to the control group. The medium activity of GGT in the serum of the studied group on the 1st day of abstinence was 7 times higher than in the control group (p < 0.05). The activity of GGT decreased during abstinence. On the 30th day of abstinence the activity of GGT in the studied group was 2.7 times higher as compared to the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The activity of HEX and GGT in the serum significantly increases during long-lasting drinking period in alcohol dependent people. Increased HEX activity in the serum can be a more sensitive marker of long-lasting drinking period than GGT activity. The normalisation of HEX activity in the serum during abstinence in alcohol dependent people takes place significantly faster than the normalisation of GGT activity.
