Chronic alcohol abuse has adverse effects on skeletal muscle, and reduced muscle strength is frequently seen in chronic alcoholics. In this study the acute effects of moderate alcohol intoxication on motor performance was evaluated in 19 non-alcoholic healthy subjects (10 women, 9 men). A randomised double-blinded placebo controlled design was applied to subjects receiving alcohol in juice and pure juice at two separate test periods. Isokinetic and isometric muscle strength and endurance were determined before, during, 24 and 48 h after the ingestion of alcohol in juice and juice (placebo). To detect a reduced activation of the central motor pathways superimposed external electrical stimulations during voluntary contractions were applied. Creatine kinase (CK) was measured to detect any alcohol-induced changes in sarcolemmal integrity. No change was seen in isokinetic as well as in isometric muscle performance during or following the alcohol intoxication as compared to the non-alcoholic condition. Also, no central activation failure was observed. No significant difference in CK increment was observed comparing the alcoholic- and non-alcoholic condition. In conclusion, a single episode of moderate alcohol intoxication (1,4 g/l) does not impair motor performance, and no accelerated exercise-induced muscle damage is seen.

Clinical usefulness and safety of percutaneous conchotome biopsy of the deltoid muscle and of the quadriceps muscle was compared in patients suspected to have a neuromuscular disorder. In 121 samples from the quadriceps muscle and in 39 samples from the deltoid muscle, the quantity of muscle fibers was equal and the fraction of biopsies resulting in a specific diagnosis was similar (50% and 56%, respectively). Also, biopsy from the 2 locations resulted in the same distribution of neurogenic, inflammatory, and myopathic disorders. After quadriceps muscle biopsy, 2 patients developed vasovagal syncopes and one patient a local hematoma, whereas no complications occurred in the patients subjected to deltoid muscle biopsy. We conclude that biopsy from the deltoid muscle is clinically as useful and safe as biopsy from the quadriceps muscle.