Ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate.
Alcohol misuse is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although clinical history, examination, and the use of self-report questionnaires may identify subjects with harmful patterns of alcohol use, denial or under-reporting of alcohol intake is common. Existing biomarkers for detecting alcohol misuse include measurement of blood or urine ethanol for acute alcohol consumption, and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin and gamma-glutamyl transferase for chronic alcohol misuse. There is a need for a biomarker that can detect excessive alcohol consumption in the timeframe between 1 day and several weeks. Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is a direct metabolite of ethanol detectable in urine for up to 90 h and longer in hair. Because EtG has high specificity for excess alcohol intake, it has great potential for use in detecting "binge" drinking. Using urine or hair, this noninvasive marker has a role in a variety of clinical and forensic settings.
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital Lewisham, London, United Kingdom.
Natalie E
NE
Walsham
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: roy.sherwood@nhs.net.
Roy A
RA
Sherwood
D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001334:Automobile Driving; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods; D063425:Binge Drinking; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*; D056148:Chromatography, Reverse-Phase / Q000379:methods; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D012742:Sex Offenses; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D013997:Time Factors; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections
D015415:Biomarkers; D005965:Glucuronates; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters; C093924:ethyl glucuronide; D000431:Ethanol; C011612:diethyl sulfate
Alcohol dependence; Alcohol markers; Ethyl glucuronide; Ethyl sulfate; Fetal alcohol syndrome