The activity of various enzymes and the vitamin C concentration of leukocytes were measured in a series of 35 patients with alcohol-related disease. The incidence of thiamine deficiency was 31%, as determined by transketolase activation, and 55%, as determined by pyruvate tolerance test. The incidence of riboflavin deficiency was 23% and ascorbic acid deficiency was 91%. No cases of pyridoxine deficiency were detected.
The pyruvate tolerance test proved to be a more sensitive test for thiamine deficiency than transketolase activation, and erythrocyte aspartate transaminase activation proved to be a poor indicator of pyridoxine deficiency. There was a poor correlation of γ-glutamyltransferase activity with the degree of vitamin deficiency, suggesting that alcohol exposure was only partially responsible for the observed vitamin deficiency.
Detection and Incidence of B and C Vitamin Deficiency in Alcohol-Related Illness.
