Serum Creatine Phosphokinase in Chronic Alcoholism

Enzyme Activities and Glycogen Concentration in Skeletal Muscle in Alcoholism

“…It has been suggested that the permeability of the cell membrane is increased in damaged muscle cells following an alcoholic debauch and that the muscle cells consequently lose their intracellular enzymes into the extracellular space (7). The increased concentrations of muscular enzymes in serum (7,10) and the decreased enzyme activities in muscles support the suggested HK increase of the permeability of cell membranes in alcoholics. The disturbances may, however, be unspecific and also occur in other acute diseases, like the reduced LDHJ content in skeletal muscle found by Nygren (8).…”

“…Because the enzyme level in the muscles of the alcoholics, who had been abstinent for 6-7 days, was approximately the same as that of the control subjects (Table I), it is obvious that one week is enough to normalize the enzymes of the muscle metabolism. Nygren (7) noticed that the serum CPK values returned to normal within 5-7 days after the alcoholic debauch had terminated. The fast recovery of the activities of metabolic enzymes of the muscle cells is also supported by the fact that four weeks' conditioning did not cause any more changes in the e n z y m e levels.…”

“…It is well known that muscle metabolism of alcoholics is disturbed (7), but direct evidence has been obtained only recently when muscle biopsy techniques and microanalytical methods were adapted for this purpose. In a n acute alcoholic myopathy the serum concentrations of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) are increased (7,11). In muscle of acutely intoxicated alcoholics the concentration of LDH-5, which is the predominant LDH isoenzyme in normal human skeletal muscle, is decreased (9).…”