Blood aminothiol levels in patients with typical alcoholic delirium tremens: results of an original study

Blood aminothiol levels in patients with typical alcoholic delirium tremens: results of an original study

 

Authors

 

A.V. Sakharov

National Scientific Center for Addictology ‒ Branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Addictology named after V.P. Serbsky" of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation

S.E. Golygina

Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Chita State Medical Academy” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Chita, Russian Federation

 

https://doi.org/10.26617/1810-3111-2026-1(130)-18-28

 

Journal: Siberian Herald of Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry. 2026; 1 (130):  18-28.

 

Abstract

Introduction. The thiol-disulfide oxidation-reduction system is a key functional element of the mechanism of non-specific resistance and adaptation of the organism to environmental factors. The state of the thiol-disulfide system of key aminothiols in individuals with alcohol dependence has been insufficiently studied. Objective: to study aminothiol levels in the blood serum of patients with typical alcoholic delirium before therapy. Material and Methods. The study included 30 patients with typical alcoholic delirium before therapy with an ICD-10 diagnosis of withdrawal state with delirium (classical delirium) (F10.40) – the main group. The control group consisted of 35 conditionally healthy male volunteers, comparable with patients in the main group by age. Aminothiol levels in the blood serum were determined by liquid chromatography. Results. In typical alcoholic delirium tremens, an increase in cysteine (Cys) levels is observed relative to the values in the control group: total – by 1.5 times, reduced – by 1.4 times, oxidized – by 1.3 times. A 1.5-fold increase in the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) was recorded, while its oxidized form decreased by 1.6 times. The level of homocysteine (Hcy) was elevated: total – by 1.3 times, reduced – by 1.6 times. Conclusion. The findings indicate a significant disturbance of the redox balance in alcoholic delirium. The observed imbalance may act as an important pathogenetic link in this condition, in particular, mediating the development of concomitant endothelial dysfunction. Further in-depth research is needed to determine the exact pathogenetic significance of the identified changes.

 

Keywords: alcohol dependence syndrome, delirium tremens, aminothiols.

 

Article (pdf)

 

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Materials  

For citation: Sakharov A.V., Golygina S.E. Blood aminothiol levels in patients with typical alcoholic delirium tremens: results of an original study. Siberian Herald of Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry.2026; 1 (130): 18-28. https://doi.org/10.26617/1810-3111-2026-1(130)-18-28

 

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