| Advantages | Disadvantages | Cut-off | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDT, carbohydrate-deficient transferrin | Moderate to high sensitivity.* Relapse marker. Excellent specificity, half life of 15 days. | Weak sensitivity in women and
adolescents. Expensive test. Sophisticated methodology. | Variable according to the method: 6% CDT in RIA.** | High |
| GGT, gamma glutamyltransferase | Moderate to high sensitivity.* Easy to use. Good acceptability. | Many false positives. Poor relapse indicator. | 50 IU/L | Low |
| ASAT, aspartate aminotransferase | Half-life of 2 to 3 weeks. Easy dosing. Good acceptability. | Low sensitivity. Many false positives. | 45 IU/L | Low |
| ALAT, alanine aminotransferase | Half-life of 2 to 3 weeks. Easy dosing. Good acceptability. | Low sensitivity. Many false positives. | 50 IU/L | Low |
| MCV, mean corpuscular volume | Low cost. Good acceptability. | Low sensitivity. Many false positives. Long half-life (several months). | 98% | Low |
* In the capacity to distinguish alcoholics from teetotallers and moderate social drinkers.
** Radio-immunoassay.
From: Alcohol: Social damages, abuse, and dependence
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