Alcoholics and controls given
ethanol (1.2 g/kg
body weight) were analyzed for blood and breath
acetaldehyde using the more sensitive and reliable
semicarbazide method. The
acetaldehyde levels in controls were almost undetectable (less than 2 microM), but were found to be elevated (10--10 microM) in 6 of 8 alcoholics. Breath
acetaldehyde and blood
acetaldehyde co-fluctuated during the experiments.
Fructose infusion transiently increased blood
acetaldehyde, but only in 4 of the alcoholics. The apparent discrepancy between our finding and the simultaneously reported low
acetaldehyde level in alcoholics (Eriksson and Peachy, this volume) may be explained by the different status of the alcoholics tested. Our alcoholics were tested on the day after hospital admission and eliminated
ethanol 5% faster than controls. It is suggested that elevated blood
acetaldehyde occurs regularly after interrupted drinking in heavy alcohol abusers with fast
ethanol elimination, possibly combined with reduced liver
aldehyde dehydrogenase activity, but that the phenomenon may rapidly disappear upon abstinence and hospital treatment, which reduces disturbances in hepatic functions and the
ethanol elimination rate.