Testino G. Are Patients With Alcohol Use Disorders at Increased Risk for Covid-19 Infection?.
Alcohol Alcohol. 2020;55(4):344-346. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agaa037
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n conclusion alcohol consumption, significantly increases the risk of contracting bacterial and viral lung infections (including Covid-19).
This conclusion is supported by the well-known fact that
there is a correlation between alcohol consumption (also social-moderate) and the amount of ACE2 present in the body and in particular in the respiratory site.
Okuno et al. (1986) evaluated serum ACE activity in 47 ALD hospitalized patients. Compared to the controls, the ACE activity at the inlet was found to be significantly high (42.5 ? 16.6 U/ml vs. 32.4 ? 9.6 U/ml;
P < 0.005). An increase in ACE levels above the normal value of 42 U/ml (mean ? SD) was found in ~36%.
This increase is also present after 4 weeks of alcohol abstention.
It is appropriate to inform the population that the consumption of alcoholic beverages (especially risky/harmful consumption) correlates with a greater probability of viral lung infection.
Therefore, in a historical period characterized by a Covid-19 pandemic, doctors and all health professionals must motivate citizens not to consume alcohol or limit consumption to no more than one alcoholic unit/day (low risk consumption) (
Scafato et al., 2020). This is especially true in the elderly population with polypathology (diabetes mellitus, heart disease, liver disease, etc.) and polytherapy...
