Skeletal muscle involvement in patients with chronic alcoholic intoxication

Abstract

Chronic alcoholic myopathy (CAM) is a common manifestation of alcoholic disease; however, the pathogenesis of the former has not been fully investigated. The main mechanism for the development of CAM is postulated to be impaired protein synthesis in the muscle fibers. A comprehensive clinical, biochemical, electromyographic, and morphological examination was made in 51 patients with chronic alcoholic intoxication. Morphological and morphometric studies were shown to play a determining role in the diagnosis of CAM. The clinical manifestations of skeletal muscle involvement corresponded to the magnitude of the atrophic process. Abnormalities were found in the basic components of protein synthesis at both the intracellular and systemic levels of regulation.

Keywords

• chronic alcoholic myopathy
• diagnosis
• muscle biopsy
• insulin-growth-like growth factor 1
• protein synthesis