Biological markers of alcohol consumption in nondrinkers, drinkers, and alcohol-dependent Brazilian patients

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of some new and traditional biological markers and indicators of health among Brazilian nondrinkers, drinkers, and alcohol-dependent patients. Material and Methods: We evaluated 130 nondrinkers, 167 drinkers, and 183 alcohol-dependent drinkers from Brazil who participated in the WHO/ISBRA Study on State and Trait Markers of Alcohol Use and Dependence. A standardized WHO/ISBRA Interview Schedule provided background information on the subjects' characteristics including reported health problems and alcohol consumption. Blood samples were analyzed for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), blood alcohol levels (BAL), and platelet adenylate cyclase activity (basal levels [AC] and levels after stimulation with Gpp(NH)p, cesium fluoride, and forskolin). Results: The alcohol-dependent drinkers presented higher levels of AST, GGT, AC, CDT, and BAL than the nondrinkers and drinkers, whose levels were similar. Sex differences in the sensitivity of CDT and AC were found. The alcohol-dependent women presented a lower prevalence of abnormal values of CDT and Gpp(NH)p-stimulated AC than the alcohol-dependent men, despite the fact that they presented similar alcohol consumption levels. The alcohol-dependent drinkers presented a higher prevalence of clinical disorders than the nondrinkers and drinkers. The drinkers and alcohol-dependent patients presented significantly higher rates of gastritis than the nondrinkers. Conclusions: Sex differences in the sensitivity of CDT and AC suggest that these markers are not as sensitive at detecting excessive alcohol use in women as they are in men. If data from this Brazilian sample are compared with those reported for international samples, relevant differences are detected, which suggests that genetic and cultural differences should be considered in the selection of biological markers of heavy alcohol consumption.