Comparing Biological Markers of Alcohol Dependence in the Patients of an Alcohol Counseling Center

알코올 상담 센터 환자를 대상으로 한 알코올 의존의 생물학적 표지자 비교 연구

  • Byun, Jung-Hyun (Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine, Hallym University) ;
  • Lee, Boung-Chul (Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine, Hallym University) ;
  • Ham, Byung-Joo (Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine, Hallym University) ;
  • Chung, Chan Seung (Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine, Hallym University) ;
  • Hur, Mina (Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, Hallym University) ;
  • Lee, Jung-Joon (Asan Mental Health Center) ;
  • Choi, Ihn-Geun (Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine, Hallym University)
  • 변정현 (한림대학교 의과대학 신경정신과학교실) ;
  • 이병철 (한림대학교 의과대학 신경정신과학교실) ;
  • 함병주 (한림대학교 의과대학 신경정신과학교실) ;
  • 정찬승 (한림대학교 의과대학 신경정신과학교실) ;
  • 허미나 (한림대학교 의과대학 진단검사의학과학교실) ;
  • 이정준 (아산시 정신 보건 센터) ;
  • 최인근 (한림대학교 의과대학 신경정신과학교실)
  • Published : 2006.11.30

Abstract

Objectives : Biochemical markers can provide an objective evidence of heavy alcohol drinking. The purpose of this study was to compare and evaluate the usefulness of biological markers detecting alcohol dependence, such as mean corpuscular volume(MCV), gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT), and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin(CDT) in the patients of an alcohol counseling center. Methods : This study was done with 64 patients with alcohol dependence and 36 healthy subjects. Relative values(%) of CDT were determined in their sera with turbidimetric immunoassay(Bio-Rad %CDT assay, Axis-Shield ASA, Oslo, Norway), and were compared with conventional markers of alcohol consumption, GGT and MCV. Results : Among the patients with alcohol dependence, 78.1% showed abnormal %CDT levels compared with GGT(61.9%) and MCV(20.7%). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves(95% confidence interval) for %CDT, GGT, and MCV were 0.934(0.866-0.973), 0.871(0.789-0.930), and 0.575 (0.472-0.673), respectively. Conclusion : %CDT seems to be the most reliable biological marker for the detection and monitoring of alcohol consumption in the patients with alcohol dependence of the alcohol counseling center.

Keywords