Test presentation
Quantification of Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin (CDT) by electrophoresis is used for screening patient serum samples to detect chronic alcohol abuse. During analysis, serum transferrin isoforms are separated into five major fractions according to their sialylation level:
- Asialotransferrin (non-sialylated)
- Disialotransferrin
- Trisialotransferrin
- Tetrasialotransferrin
- Pentasialotranferrin
CDT percent value is automatically calculated using the sum of low-sialylated isoforms, i.e., disialotransferrin associated with asialotransferrin (if present).
CDT levels equal to or less than 1.3% are considered normal, but CDT levels over 1.6% are abnormal and indicative of chronic alcohol abuse. CDT values over 1.3% and below 1.6% are inconclusive results.
The MINICAP CDT kit allows automatic quantification of CDT with visualization of all transferrin isoforms. Curve abnormalities can thus be detected which prevent false result reporting (such as in cirrhotic pattern).
