Glutamate dehydrogenase as a marker of alcohol dependence.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) in the diagnostic combinations as a result of new findings.


METHODS
GLDH, gama-glutamyltransferase (GGT), aspartate-aminotranferase (AST), alanine-aminotransferase (ALT) and erythrocyte mean cell volume (MCV) were assessed three times in 238 alcoholics admitted to hospital: on admission, after 24 h and after 7 days.


RESULTS
All the values were significantly higher than those in healthy persons. The fastest activity decrease was seen in GLDH. The kinetics of GLDH and AST were more applicable than GGT kinetics after a week, but GLDH kinetics were most reliable. GLDH was the most specific laboratory marker with almost 90% specificity. The sensitivity of combination MCV and GLDH kinetics after 1 week of abstinence was pathognomonic by 97.2%. This decision tree gave us a model with 84.5% accuracy.


CONCLUSIONS
GLDH is an equally accurate marker of alcoholism in comparison to others, if its significantly faster decrease is taken into consideration. We strongly believe that watching changes in the activity of laboratory markers of alcoholism is an effective yet overlooked aid.
Kravos
Matej
M
Psychiatric Hospital Ormoz, Ormoz, Slovenia. mk4@siol.net
Malesic
Ivan
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase