Clinical Significance of Gamma-Glutamyltranspeptidase Combined with Carbohydrate-Deficient Transferrin for the Assessment of Excessive Alcohol Consumption in Patients with Alcoholic Cirrhosis

• Main Authors: Akihiko Shibamoto, Tadashi Namisaki, Junya Suzuki, Takahiro Kubo, Satoshi Iwai, Fumimasa Tomooka, Soichi Takeda, Yuki Fujimoto, Masahide Enomoto, Koji Murata, Takashi Inoue, Koji Ishida, Hiroyuki Ogawa, Hirotetsu Takagi, Daisuke Kaya, Yuki Tsuji, Takahiro Ozutsumi, Yukihisa Fujinaga, Masanori Furukawa, Norihisa Nishimura, Yasuhiko Sawada, Koh Kitagawa, Shinya Sato, Hiroaki Takaya, Kosuke Kaji, Naotaka Shimozato, Hideto Kawaratani, Kei Moriya, Takemi Akahane, Akira Mitoro, Hitoshi Yoshiji
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
• Series: Medicines
• Subjects: chronic excessive alcohol consumption; prediction accuracy; carbohydrate-deficient transferrin; gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase; alcoholic cirrhosis
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6320/8/7/39
• ISSN: 2305-6320

<b>Background:</b> This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (γ-GTP) to assess the single and combined benefits of these biological markers for the detection of chronic excessive alcohol consumption in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. <b>Methods:</b> Biological markers were determined in blood samples from patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (drinking group, <i>n</i> = 35; nondrinking group, <i>n</i> = 81). The prediction accuracy of %CDT alone, γ-GTP alone, and their combination for the detection of excessive alcohol consumption was determined in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. <b>Results:</b> Serum total bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-GTP, and alkaline phosphatase levels and %CDT were significantly higher and serum albumin levels were significantly lower in the drinking group than in the nondrinking group. The combination of %CDT and γ-GTP compared with %CDT or γ-GTP alone showed a higher prediction accuracy. The combination of %CDT and γ-GTP exhibited a higher specificity than γ-GTP alone. However, in terms of sensitivity, no significant difference was found between single or combined markers. <b>Conclusions:</b> The combination of %CDT and γ-GTP is considered a useful biomarker of chronic excessive alcohol consumption in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis.