The Curious Clinicians 86 - Enlarging Alcohol
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Mar 21, 2024 Exploring the physiological effects of chronic alcohol use on red blood cells, the podcast highlights macrocytosis and its correlation with alcohol consumption. They delve into the mechanisms behind red blood cell enlargement, including acetaldehyde effects, cytoskeletal changes, and electrolyte equilibrium in alcohol-related hepatitis.
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Alcohol Causes Macrocytosis Often
- Chronic alcohol use causes macrocytosis in about a quarter of cases with enlarged red blood cells.
- This is a common lab finding linked to alcohol consumption, alone or with liver disease.
Macrocytosis Links with Alcohol Dose
- Macrocytosis with alcohol is partly linked to liver disease but also occurs independently.
- Red blood cell size rises linearly with increasing daily alcohol intake in alcohol-related liver disease.
Acetaldehyde, Not Ethanol, Causes Enlargement
- Alcohol itself does not directly enlarge blood cells; acetaldehyde, a metabolite, causes cell enlargement.
- Incubation studies show acetaldehyde increases white blood cell size but ethanol does not.