About
Consumption of alcohol must be avoided in the following circumstances: during pregnancy, during childhood, while driving, operating machinery, when exercising responsibilities which require vigilance, when taking certain medications, with certain chronic or acute diseases (epilepsy, pancreatitis, viral hepatitis, etc.) and for former alcoholics. It is a public health imperative to strengthen and sustain efforts to reduce the harmful use of alcohol worldwide. Each industry, health organization and individual, has a role to play to reduce the impact of excessive alcohol consumption.
Safe drinking or responsible drinking is defined as follows:
- For women: no more than 2-3 units(1) of alcohol on an average day (less than 14/week) and at least two alcohol-free days a week
- For men: no more than 3-4 units(1) of alcohol on an average day (less than 21/week) and at least two alcohol-free days a week.
Consumption on an occasional basis should not be be more than 4 units(1) of alcohol on one occasion.
Diagnosis
A cost-effective policy on alcohol abuse, diagnosis and monitoring in clinics, industries and forensic settings will improve clinical outcome, reduce drink driving, decrease accidents in major industries and consequently save the cost spent on alcohol related expenses.
Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin (CDT) is the most reliable blood marker for chronic alcohol abuse. An average daily consumption of more than 60 g of alcohol during the previous 2 weeks increases the percentage of this marker. Increased CDT levels indicate that alcohol is disrupting the normal chemistry of the liver cells. In most people, an elevated CDT will return to normal during several weeks of alcohol abstinence.
CDT is specific for heavy alcohol use; 30% reduction in CDT is consistent with a substantial reduction in alcohol intake. In many aspects, CDT has characteristics similar to HbA1c and other blood tests that change based on diet and/or therapeutical intervention. An increase in CDT serves as an indication that the person has returned to heavy drinking, providing an efficient and specific monitoring tool for healthcare professionals.
CDT is the marker recommended by IFCC for chronic alcohol abuse.
Sebia's Expertise
Sebia’s automated solution on CAPILLARYS 3 and MINICAP systems offer accurate CDT measurement. Thanks to capillary electrophoresis technology and the intuitive software, CAPI 3 CDT and MINICAP CDT allow visualization of all transferrin isoforms, potential analytical and genetic interferences (variants, CDG) and detection of curve abnormalities (such as in cirrhotic pattern). Providing confidence in your result reporting.
The annual IFCC certification ensures safe and standardized CDTIFCC results across all laboratories using CDTIFCC methods.
Sebia’s CDT solution is scalable and can be adapted to each lab’s activity for a streamlined workflow.
Featured resources on Chronic Alcohol Abuse
See all resourcesThe importance of CDT-IFCC, marker of chronic alcohol excessive consumption
Educational Webinar with M. Jean Deenmamode, IFCC Working Group Chair
Carbohydrate-deficient transferring testing: a truly traceable and specific biomarker for chronic alcohol misuse
Article from Jean Deenmamode, IFCC CDT working group chair in CLI magazine.
Interview with M. Jean Deenmamode, CDT IFCC Working Group Chair
Interview between Sebia and M. Jean Deenmamode, CDT IFCC Working Group Chair
Standardisation of the CDT measurement on CAPILLARYS 3 TERA
IFCC Standardisation of the Sebia CDT measurement on CAPILLARYS 3 TERA.
International standardization of CDT measurement
IFCC CDT-Working Group standardized the CDT measurement.
Discover the main applications related to the CDT marker
CDT is a sensitive and specific marker of chronic alcohol abuse, used in several contexts and notably including forensic settings, industries, clinical applications.
Upcoming events
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MINICAP FLEX-PIERCING
The compact and affordable automation of Capillary Electrophoresis.
CAPILLARYS 3 OCTA
Evolution makes the difference.
CAPILLARYS 3 TERA MC
The power of up to 36 capillaries in one automated high volume workcell.
Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin (CDT)
The most reliable chronic alcohol abuse marker.
(1) WHO- Global status report on alcohol and health 2018
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