title: Limits of usual biochemical alcohol markers in cord blood at term: a fetal/maternal population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  After maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy, many neonates affected by less apparent forms of fetal alcohol syndrome disorder (FASD) do not receive proper diagnosis or treatment. There is thus a need for laboratory markers for early detection of alcohol-exposed neonates. The aim of our study was to assess the efficiency of the usual alcohol biomarkers measured in cord blood to identify alcohol-exposed neonates immediately after birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 1-year study was conducted in the labor wards of the maternity units of the Auvergne, Central France at the time of term delivery. The patients answered an anonymous self-completion survey concerning alcohol use (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test; AUDIT) during their pregnancy. Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase concentrations and the percentage of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin were measured in maternal and cord blood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We collected 870 maternal-fetal sample pairs. Two cases (0.2%) of typical FASD were detected. We report a non-significant correlation between maternal and cord blood biomarkers. None of the cord blood biomarkers differed significantly between newborns of alcohol-exposed and unexposed mothers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrate that the usual alcohol biomarkers are not effective in cord blood for identifying alcohol-exposed neonates.
authors: Université d'Auvergne, JE2447, ARDEMO, and CHU, Maternité Hôtel-Dieu, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors: Denis
authors: D
authors: Gallot
authors: Ingrid
authors: I
authors: de Chazeron
authors: Didier
authors: D
authors: Boussiron
authors: Sylvie
authors: S
authors: Ughetto
authors: Françoise
authors: F
authors: Vendittelli
authors: Franz J
authors: FJ
authors: Legros
authors: Laurence
authors: L
authors: Roszyk
authors: Pierre-Michel
authors: PM
authors: Llorca
authors: Didier
authors: D
authors: Lemery
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Sapin
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000431:Ethanol