Impact of alcohol use discontinuation on adipose tissue insulin resistance among Latino patients with and without underlying chronic liver disease

Abstract

Abstract We evaluated the effect of short-term moderate alcohol discontinuation on adipose tissue insulin resistance (adipo-IR) and factors associated with its change in Latinos with and without hepatitis C virus (HCV). Nondiabetic Latino adults without (N = 17) or with (N = 7) HCV underwent clinical, laboratory, genetic, and metabolic testing. Metabolic testing was repeated after 6.5 weeks of moderate alcohol discontinuation. Adipo-IR was measured using a 2-step insulin suppression test. Multivariable linear regression, including HCV status, identified factors associated with change in adipo-IR. Median age was 50 years, 58% female, median BMI 26.3 kg/m². Genetic ancestry was 57% European, 36% Native American, and 3.5% African. CYP2E1 genotyping showed 14% were homozygous for [c2/c2] risk-allele. No significant changes in adipo-IR occurred after alcohol discontinuation. On multivariable regression, CYP2E1 homozygous risk-allele (vs. none, estimate 0.25 mmol/L, p < 0.001) and overweight/obesity (vs. normal weight, estimate 0.13 mmol/L, p = 0.02), but not HCV, were associated with change in adipo-IR following alcohol discontinuation. Although there was no significant overall change in adipo-IR following short-term moderate alcohol discontinuation, CYP2E1 homozygous risk-allele and overweight/obesity were associated with changes in adipo-IR. These exploratory findings suggest that host genetic and metabolic characteristics may influence metabolic responses to alcohol discontinuation and warrant validation in larger prospective studies.