An attempt to evaluate diagnostic and prognostic significance of blood endogenous ethanol in alcoholics and their relatives.

Endogenous ethanol in the blood of human subjects was measured by gas chromatography. In healthy males, 12-13-year-old boys (sons of alcoholic and nonalcoholic fathers), and alcoholic inpatients (after cessation of all drugs), the endogenous ethanol levels ranged from 0 to 4.3 mg/l. The results showed no significant differences between the groups. At the period of alcohol withdrawal reactions the concentrations of endogenous ethanol were minimal in patients with delirium tremens and maximal in patients with mild alcohol withdrawal syndrome, the dynamics of this parameter being dependent on the severity of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome and the nature of the drugs prescribed.

[Endogenous blood ethanol in alcoholic patients and healthy subjects with and without a family history of alcoholism]. / Endogennyi étanol krovi u bol'nykh alkogolizmom i zdorovykh lits s otiagoshchennoi i neotiagoshchennoi alkogolizmom nasledstvennost'iu.

Levels of endogenous ethanol were studied in healthy males, 12-13-year-old boys (sons of alcoholics and normal fathers) and alcoholic patients (after discontinuation of all drugs). The results showed no significant differences between the groups. On the other hand endogenous ethanol concentrations were higher than normal in oligophrenic boys irrespective of whether their fathers were alcoholics or healthy subjects. In the abstinence period endogenic ethanol concentrations were the minimal in patients with delirium tremens and a severe abstinence syndrome, the dynamics of this parameter in the process of treatment being dependent on the severity of the abstinence syndrome and on the nature of treatment.