Determination of serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin in the diagnosis of alcoholic liver disease.
BACKGROUND
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a serious and potentially fetal consequence of alcohol use. The diagnosis of ALD is based on alcohol consumption, physical signs and symptoms, and laboratory tests. The aim of the present study was to assess the reliability of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) in the diagnosis of ALD.


METHODS
According to the diagnostic criteria for ALD by the Chinese Medical Association in 1995, 76 patients with ALD, 55 patients with alcoholism, 32 patients with nonalcoholic liver disease (NALD), and 27 healthy subjects (controls) were studied. Serum CDT was assayed by isoelectric focusing immunofixation and Comassie blue staining. The levels of alamine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) were also examined.


RESULTS
The positive rate of CDT in the patients with ALD was 93.4%(71/76), which was higher than that in those with alcoholism (52.7%, 29/55, P<0.001), in those with NALD(9.4%, 3/32, P<0.001), and in healthy controls, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of CDT for ALD was 93.4% and 71.9%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
CDT may help diagnose alcoholic liver disease.
Liu
You-Shi
YS
Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China. lys_2002cn@yahoo.com.cn
Xu
Geng-Yun
GY
Cheng
Dong-Qing
DQ
Li
You-Ming
YM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014168:Transferrin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D014168:Transferrin; C056759:carbohydrate-deficient transferrin