RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Chronic alcohol consumption has been associated with both liver dysregulation and neurotoxic effects in the central nervous system of human beings and experimental animals. Serum levels of S100B protein have been extensively studied in several conditions of neural tissue injury but not in alcohol abuse. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of S100B in alcohol-dependent individuals and to further investigate the effect of alcohol detoxification on the levels of S100B. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our study included 20 alcohol dependent/abusing subjects, diagnosed based on the DSM-IV criteria and treated on an inpatient basis according to a standard detoxification protocol. The serum concentration of hepatic enzymes (ASAT, ALAT, gammaGT), as well as measurements of anxiety, depression and global functioning were obtained at baseline and at weekly intervals over the period of 4-5 weeks, while S100B levels were measured on admission and discharge. RESULTS: Upon admission, hepatic enzyme levels were found increased compared to normal levels and correlated positively with the degree of alcohol consumption of the last year. Interestingly, the ALAT levels correlated positively with S100B levels upon admission. After completion of alcohol detoxification, the hepatic enzyme levels returned to normal. The S100 B levels decreased in 10 patients with a moderate alcohol-consumption over the last year, but increased in 10 patients with high alcohol consumption over the last year. Additionally, a significant correlation was found between the levels of S100B and the global functioning scale at the end of detoxification treatment. CONCLUSION: S100B protein levels are affected differently in alcohol-dependent individuals with either mild or high alcohol consumption during the period of up to one year before assessment. A good correlation between the release pattern of S100B and global functioning scale was found. Although this is a preliminary study, the present data suggest a possible use of S100B protein measurements in detecting alcohol-dependent individuals with high alcohol consumption and in further monitoring the alcohol detoxification treatment.