Clinical relationships between serum phosphorus and other blood chemistry values in alcoholics

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Abstract
Hypophosphatemia was found in 11 of 434 (2.5%) male patients admitted to an alcohol treatment program and 21 of 69 (30.4%) male alcoholic patients admitted to the medical wards. Hyperphosphatemia was found in 43 of 434 (9.9%) treatment program alcoholics, and only 1 of 69 (1.4%) medical-ward alcoholics. Analysis of a sample of 57 nonalcholic inpatients from the same hospital revealed 1 (1.8%) patient with hypophosphatemia and 1 (1.8%) patient with hyperphosphatemia. No relationship was found between P levels and Mg, creatinine phosphokinase, RBC [red blood cells] or hematocrit. A transient but significant (P < 0.05) hypophosphatemia was found between the 2nd and 5th days after admission in a subsample of 26 medical-ward alcoholics who had had a normal serum phosphate level on admission. Phosphate levels of < 1.1 mg/dl may predict impending hemolysis or rhabdomyolysis in the alcoholic.