Clinical and biochemical heterogeneity of alcoholism: the role of family history and alexithymia.

Of 100 male patients with alcohol dependence, clinical and biochemical data were analysed in relation to family history of alcoholism and alexithymic personality traits. Family history was found in 38 patients and alexithymic personality traits in 79. No relationship was established between these two factors. In patients with a family history alcoholism began at a younger age with more severe clinical symptoms than in the remaining subjects. Patients with alexithymia had lower intensity of psychopathology but higher frequency of concomitant hypertension. Patients with family history had higher leukocyte counts and lower alcohol-induced elevations of liver enzymes and plasma lipids. In patients with alexithymia, higher values of hemoglobin and hematocrit were found. The results suggest that two predisposing factors to alcohol dependence such as family history of alcoholism and alexithymic personality determine the different clinical and biochemical features of the disease.