title: Association of self-reported diseases and health care use with commonly used laboratory markers for alcohol consumption.
abstract: The relationships of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and their mathematical combination (gamma-CDT) with self-reported diseases were evaluated in a large cross-sectional risk factor survey. Significant gender effects were observed in associations of the markers with several medical conditions as well as with general health care utilization. In men, CDT was associated with rheumatoid arthritis. In both genders, GGT was positively associated with hypertension and diabetes. gamma-CDT was positively associated with hypertension in males and with asthma in females. This general population study demonstrates that these markers, although most commonly used to assess alcohol misuse, might also serve as health risk indicators.
authors.affiliation: FIT Biotech OYj Plc, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sillanaukee
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Strid
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jousilahti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vartiainen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Poikolainen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nikkari
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018584:Physician Self-Referral; D012647:Self-Assessment; D014168:Transferrin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014168:Transferrin; C056759:carbohydrate-deficient transferrin; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase