Investigating the use of PEth, CDT and MCV to evaluate alcohol consumption in a cohort of homeless individuals- A comparison of different alcohol biomarkers

In a cohort including individuals with suspected high alcohol consumption, the concentrations of the indirect alcohol biomarkers carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and the direct alcohol biomarker phosphatidylethanol (PEth) were investigated. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was analysed as a marker for acute alcohol ingestion. In addition to questions about subjective alcohol consumption behaviour, 147 homeless persons underwent a physical examination with blood sampling. BAC, PEth, CDT and MCV were determined in the blood samples. Special focus was on the comparison of PEth and CDT for indicating excessive alcohol consumption. BAC was measured above 0.1%0 in 39 blood samples (0.1-2.5%0, median 0.75%0). PEth was detected in all of them. Overall, PEth was positive ( 210 ng/ml) in eight and two cases in which CDT was _ 1.7% and >_ 2.5%, respectively. On the other hand, CDT was < 1.7% and < 2.5% in ten and 18 cases, respectively, in which PEth was above cut-off for excessive alcohol consumption. Taking the self reports of the participants into consideration, PEth's sensitivity for detecting excessive alcohol consumption was 100% (10 ng/ml) and 94% (210 ng/ml) and CDT's was 88% (1.7%) and 75% (2.5%). In individuals of the investigated cohort unusually high concentrations of the alcohol consumption markers PEth and CDT were quantified, which proves the assumption of chronic excessive alcohol consumption in parts of the cohort. PEth was the marker that was positive most often and was more sensitive for excessive alcohol consumption than CDT. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.