triolein and Alcoholism

Between 1985 and 1994, 883 cases of acute pancreatitis were treated in Malmö, Sweden (population 233,000). The purpose of this study was to report the short- and long-term outcome of the 79 cases that were severe, according to the Atlanta classification.. Retrospective and follow-up study a median time of 7 years since the attack.. University hospital, Sweden.. 79 patients with severe acute pancreatitis.. Mortality, cause of death, organ failure, local complications, surgical procedures, mortality since the attack, and endocrine and exocrine dysfunction.. Twenty-one patients died from their attack. Organ failure was the predominant cause of death in the 13 patients who died during the first 10 days after admission, whereas infection was the most common cause of death in patients who died later. Mortality was low under the age of 60 and increased with age. Organ failure developed in 72 patients. Twenty-four patients developed pancreatic necrosis or abscesses and 18 patients were treated by necrosectomy and open or closed drainage. At follow-up, 13 patients had died, 2 from pancreatic carcinoma. 35 patients were included in the follow-up survey. 15 of these had diabetes and an additional 4 had impaired glucose tolerance. 9 patients had signs of severe exocrine dysfunction.. There was a high incidence of endocrine and exocrine dysfunction together with, in many patients, ongoing social problems related to chronic alcoholism several years after an attack of severe acute pancreatitis.

Topics: Abdominal Pain; Acute Disease; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alcoholism; Breath Tests; Cause of Death; Diabetes Mellitus; Diarrhea; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pancreatitis; Retrospective Studies; Triolein

The concentration of ethyl esters of fatty acids as well as the activity of the enzyme synthesizing these esters (fatty acid ethyl ester synthase) were determined in adipose tissue of rats ingesting ethanol (9-16 g/kg body weight/day) for different periods of time. After 10 and 17 weeks of ethanol exposure about 300 nmol of ethyl esters of oleic, palmitic, stearic, and linoleic acids were found per gram adipose tissue. The ethyl esters disappeared after 1 week of abstinence. Closer analyses, using radioactive ethanol, revealed a half-life of the esters of less than 24 hr. The bulk of the esters was found in a membrane preparation of isolated adipocytes. Hormone-sensitive lipase hydrolyzed emulsified ethyl oleate as efficiently as that of trioleoylglycerol, but in mixed ethyl oleate/trioleoyl glycerol particles the hydrolysis of ethyl oleate was slower, suggesting a decreased accessibility. Synthase activity was found in adipose tissue from rats not exposed to ethanol. It doubled after 10 and 17 weeks of ethanol and decreased with a half-life of at least a week after abstinence. It was concluded that ethyl esters of fatty acids are formed in rat adipose tissue as previously shown in other tissues. They seem to be stored mainly in membranous parts of the adipocytes. Synthase activity is induced by ethanol. The elevated activity has a longer half-life, and may be useful as an indicator of alcohol abuse.

Topics: Acyltransferases; Adipose Tissue; Alcoholism; Animals; Body Weight; Cell Membrane; Fatty Acids; Linoleic Acids; Male; Oleic Acids; Palmitic Acids; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Stearic Acids; Triglycerides; Triolein