Journal of Research in Medical Education & Ethics

To study the effect of chronic alcoholism on haematological and biochemical parameters in the population of the Malwa belt.

The present case control study was conducted in Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda on 62 male subjects (19–77 years), comprising of 40 chronic alcoholics and 22 nonalcoholics, who served as controls. Sysmex Xs-800i Sysmex XS-800i analyser was used to determine the haematological parameters [haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (Hct), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet count and total leucocyte count (TLC)] and biosystem A15 analyser was used to determine biochemical parameters serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminases (SGPT), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), Total Proteins]. Data were expressed as mean ± SD. An unpaired t-test was used to compare the parametric data and statistical analysis was done by the statistical package of social services software version 20.0. p value <.05 was taken as significant.

In our study, we observed that chronic alcoholics had low levels of Hb, Hct and high levels of MCV and liver enzymes (SGOT, SGPT and GGT) as compared with the control group, whereas there was no significant difference in values of MPV, platelet count, TLC and total proteins between chronic alcoholic and control group.

Chronic alcoholism adversely affects some of the haematological and biochemical parameters. These parameters in conjunction with detailed clinical history can be used as prognostic markers for impending end stage alcoholic liver disease.