SERUM CARBOHYDRATE-DEFICIENT TRANSFERRIN IN PATIENTS WITH NONALCOHOLIC LIVER-DISEASE AND WITH HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA

Serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) is used as a reliable a nd specific marker of alcohol consumption. However, recent studies hav e shown false-positive CDT test results in nonalcoholic liver disease. We examined the clinical significance of serum CDT in nonalcoholic li ver disease, especially hepatocellular carcinoma. Serum CDT was measur ed in 23 teetotallers, 56 patients with alcoholic liver disease, 84 pa tients with viral liver disease and 67 patients with hepatocellular ca rcinoma, with an Axis %CDT radioimmunoassay kit, and the results were expressed as percentages of the total transferrin (%CDT). The mean ser um %CDT value was increased 1.8-fold in alcoholic liver fibrosis and 3 .8-fold in alcoholic liver cirrhosis compared with the teetotallers. T he serum %CDT values in viral chronic hepatitis were similar to those of the teetotallers, and were increased 2.0-fold in viral liver cirrho sis. False-positive results were found in 10 (37%) of the 27 patients with viral liver cirrhosis. The mean serum %CDT value was increased 2. 5-fold in hepatocellular carcinoma, and false-positive results were fo und in 31 (46%) of the 67 patients. The serum %CDT value was related t o the severity of Child grade, the size of tumor and the grade of hist ological differentiation. These results suggest that the ability of se rum CDT test to detect chronic alcoholism may be reduced in patients w ith nonalcoholic liver cirrhosis and those with hepatocellular carcino ma. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.