Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) determination by nephelometry using a commercial kit. Analytical and diagnostic aspects.
Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) has been proposed as the most efficient marker of alcohol abuse. Absolute and relative concentrations of CDT were measured with a commercial assay (%CDTTIA from AXIS-Shield, Oslo, Norway) using rate nephelometry for transferrin determination. One hundred eighty-eight alcoholic patients (154 males, 34 females) and 132 control patients (113 males, 19 females) were included in the study. Within-run and day-to-day imprecision were 3.15% and 9.77%, respectively. The calibration curve was stable for more than 4 months with a shift below 5%. The commercial assay lacked sensitivity (Se = 0.48), but was highly specific (Sp = 0.98). Lowering the cut-off from 6% to 4.6% raised the sensitivity of the %CDTTIA test to 0.76 with a specificity of 0.90. We conclude that this adaptation to the Array Protein System (Beckman-Coulter) is suitable for routine use and offers precise results. It, however, requires an adaptation of the cut-off value for patients and of the target value for kit controls.
Schellenberg
F
F
Laboratoire de Biochimie, CHU Trousseau, Tours, France. f.schellenberg@trousseau.chu-tours.fr
Mennetrey
L
L
Bacq
Y
Y
Pagès
J C
JC
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry / Q000379:methods*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014168:Transferrin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis*
D015415:Biomarkers; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D014168:Transferrin; C056759:carbohydrate-deficient transferrin