Citation

Yeastedt J, La Grange L, Anton RF. J. Stud. Alcohol 1998; 59(5): 555-559.

Affiliation

Department of Behavioral Sciences, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas 87701, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9718108

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We sought to test the efficacy of two biochemical markers of alcohol consumption, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase and carbohydrate deficient transferrin, as indicators of heavy alcohol consumption in a female population. METHOD: Using a sample of female outpatient alcoholics (n = 36) and a comparison group of female college students (n = 50), alcohol intake was monitored by self-report at approximately 90-day intervals over a period of 12 months. Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) values were determined for each sampling period. The criterion for heavy alcohol consumption was set at 140 g/alcohol/week for a 90-day period. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted, area under the curve (Az) computed, and sensitivity and specificity calculated for both CDT and GGTP. ROC curves provide a graphical illustration of the association between the specificity and sensitivity of any diagnostic test over all possible cutpoint values. RESULTS: A significant, positive correlation between the amount of alcohol consumed and GGTP activity was recorded for the outpatient alcoholic group. Among the college students, there was a significant, positive correlation between CDT levels and alcohol consumed for the second reporting period. The sensitivity of the individual biochemical markers was low but, when used in combination, sensitivity was 66% and specificity, 80%. When a more stringent criterion for heavy alcohol consumption was applied (420 g/alcohol/week), the sensitivity of CDT actually decreased. CONCLUSIONS: CDT, used alone, is a poor indicator of heavy alcohol consumption in female subjects. When GGTP measures are used in conjunction with CDT, detection of heavy alcohol consumption may be enhanced to useful levels.

Language: en