@article{ref1,
title="Biological markers of problem drinking in homeless patients",
journal="Addictive behaviors",
year="2010",
author="Thiesen, Henrik and Hesse, Morten",
volume="35",
number="3",
pages="260-262",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: In the search for optimal biomarkers of excessive drinking, a central limitation has been the lack of sensitivity of measures. Many patients have apparently normal values of liver markers despite a considerable alcohol intake. This study aimed to test a novel combined indicator of alcohol drinking. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Concentrations of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (%CDT), gamma glutamyl transferase (gammaGT), aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), and mean corpuscular volume (MCV), together with a combined index of the %CDT and gammaGT, the Antilla Index (AI), were studied in 104 homeless patients with (n=87) or without (n=24) problem drinking according to the Fast Alcohol Screening Test. RESULTS: Concentrations of all markers were significantly higher in the alcoholic patients than in other homeless patients. The best agreement between liver markers and self-reported status was found between the combined %CDT and gammaGT index (kappa=0.61, p<0.001, sensitivity=63%, specificity=94%). CONCLUSIONS: The combined AI is a relatively efficient measure of current drinking in homeless populations.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0306-4603",
doi="10.1016/j.addbeh.2009.10.005",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2009.10.005"
}