Association of Lipid biomarkers with drinking patterns and severity in alcoholic liver disease - A hospital- based cross- sectional study

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is one of the leading causes of death due to cirrhosis. Dyslipidemia is a common finding in ALD and lipid parameters are shown to be associated with disease severity. However the effect of alcohol drinking pattern on lipid abnormalities is still unclear. Hence this cross sectional study was planned to estimate the serum lipid profile in ALD patients and to determine the association of lipid parameters with alcohol drinking pattern and the severity of liver disease.50 male patients with ALD and 50 age matched controls were enrolled. AUDIT score was used to assess their drinking pattern. Serum lipid profile and liver parameters were estimated and compared between the cases and controls. The patients were grouped based on severity into Child Pugh's group A, B and C and the study parameters were compared between the groups. All statistical analyses were done using SPSS v20.0. The mean total cholesterol level (126.98 +/- 45.06 vs 163.2 +/- 24.38 mg/dL), LDL and HDL cholesterol was significantly less in ALD compared to controls. Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels were low in Child Pugh's Score C group. Mean AUDIT score was18 +/- 4. Low Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels correlate with disease severity and are markers of poor prognosis. Lipid parameters do not correlate with alcohol drinking patterns in ALD.