Determination of Ethyl Glucuronide in Hair for Detection of Alcohol Consumption in Patients after Liver Transplantation
Gastroenterology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
Hepatobiliary Surgery and Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
Biometry, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
Meeting: 2013 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: B1083
Harmful alcohol consumption after OLT is reported in 11-26% of patients and has a negative impact on long-term outcome. Determination of alcohol marker may help to early identify patients at risk and offer them support. Here the diagnostic value of determination alcohol markers (hair ethyl glucuronide (hEtG), urine EtG (uEtG), carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT)) compared to patients' self reports in a written questionnaire and physician's assessment was evaluated in OLT recipients.
Methods:
OLT recipients presenting between 01/2012-03/2012 were included.
Results:
Of 104 OLT recipients (mean age 57y, m/f= 64/40), 31 had underlying ALD and 73 non-ALD. By physician's assessment 23/104 (22%) of patients were suspected to consume potentially harmful amounts of alcohol, whereas only 3% of patients admitted consumption of > 3 drinks/week in the questionnaire and 18/104 (17%) had positive alcohol marker. Alcohol consumption was significantly more often suspected by the physician in LAD (11/31;36%) as compared to non-ALD patients (12/73;16%) p< 0.05) and alcohol marker were significantly more commonly positive in ALD patients (18/31;58%) vs 10%(7/73); p<0.0002). Altogether 25 alcohol marker were positive in 18 patients. In all but 2 patients (16/18; 89%) alcohol consumption was detected by a positive hEtG, either alone or in combination with other alcohol markers. In ALD patients hEtG was more commonly positive (10/31;32% vs 6/73;8%, p < 0.005) and the mean proximal hEtG concentration was higher (136.4 ± 142.2 vs 25.1 ± 14.3; p=0.04) than in non-ALD patients. Correlation between alcohol marker and questionnaire (k= 0.326) orphysicians' assessment (k= 0.490) was not very good. All patients (3/3) admitting regular, but also 42% (11/26) of patients admitting only occasional and 3% (2/75) of patients denying alcohol consumption had a positive hEtG, indicating harmful drinking habits. Furthermore 43% (10/23) of patients suspected and 7% (6/81) of patients not suspected to consume alcohol regularly by the physician were hEtG positive.
Conclusion
Hair-EtG testing is useful for detection of hidden alcohol consumption in OLT recipients.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Sterneck M, Rothkirch Gvon, Andresen-Streichert H, Vettorazzi E, Schulz K, Nashan B. Determination of Ethyl Glucuronide in Hair for Detection of Alcohol Consumption in Patients after Liver Transplantation [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2013; 13 (suppl 5). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/determination-of-ethyl-glucuronide-in-hair-for-detection-of-alcohol-consumption-in-patients-after-liver-transplantation/. Accessed May 14, 2025.« Back to 2013 American Transplant Congress