2 METHODS FOR MEASURING CARBOHYDRATE-DEFICIENT TRANSFERRIN IN INPATIENT ALCOHOLICS AND HEALTHY CONTROLS COMPARED

Carbohydrate-deficient transferrins (CDTs), naturally occurring glycos ylated transferrin proteins, are reported to be increased in the serum of individuals who consume large quantities of alcohol (ethanol). We compared two methods for the separation and quantification of CDT, usi ng the same alcohol-dependent patients and age-, gender-, and race-mat ched controls as sources of samples for both assays. There was good co rrelation (r = 0.89) between the microcolumn anion-exchange chromatogr aphy/RIA (MAEC/RIA) procedure and the isoelectric focusing, immunoblot ting, and laser densitometry (IEF/IB/LD) procedure. Receiver operating characteristic analysis suggested that the IEF/IB/LD procedure would perform slightly better than MAEC/RIA for the overall population. Howe ver, both assays were much more sensitive for the detection of heavy a lcohol consumption in men, compared with women. Alcohol consumption in the week prior to CDT measurement correlated only weakly with the con centrations measured with either assay.