An indicator of chronic alcohol abuse

This test is not suitable for the evaluation of patients suspected of having CDG syndrome (congenital disorders of glycosylation), genetic variants of transferrin, some monoclonal component, or high polyclonal increases, liver injuries (cirrhosis due to chronic alcohol abuse, end-stage disease).

Gold serum separator (SST) tube

Immediately following collection, mix sample by gently inverting 5 times

1. Allow sample to clot for a minimum of 30 minutes
2. Spin within two (2) hours of sample collection
3. Transfer serum to a Screw-cap polypropylene frozen transport vial/tube - 4mL (LabCorp), labelled as serum
4. Freeze

Screw-cap polypropylene frozen transport vial/tube - 4mL (LabCorp)

Red serum vial/tube, 5 mL

1. Allow sample to clo
2. Spin 
3. Transfer serum to a Screw-cap polypropylene frozen transport vial/tube - 4mL (LabCorp), labelled as serum, within two (2) hours of sample collection
4. Freeze

Frozen (preferred) - 7 days

Freeze/thaw cycles - stable x3

Refrigerated - 2 days

Ambient - 2 days

• Fibrinogen present in sample
• Hemolyzed specimen
• Aged and improperly stored specimen
• Anticoagulated specimen (citrate, EDTA)
• Presence of genetic variants of transferrin

Capillary electrophoresis (CE)

Normal: < 1.4%

Inconclusive: 1.4% - 1.6%

Elevated: > 1.6%

CDT testing can be an effective tool for the early diagnosis of chronic alcohol misuse, for the detection of patients addicted to alcohol, and for the follow-up of treatment and diagnosis of alcohol relapse.

CDT quantitation is useful in detecting abusive alcohol consumption (defined as ethanol consumption >40 mL per day for at least two weeks) and a more specific marker for alcohol exposure than other available markers, such as γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT). It enables early detection of alcohol misuses and follow-up of alcoholic patients.