Evaluation of the application of carbohydrate deficient transferin in a general hospital; recommendations for use.

We performed a retrospective evaluation of the use of carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT) in a general hospital, for diagnosing alcohol abuse. The high specificity for the CDT test and lower sensitivity as reported in the literature were confirmed. Alcohol anamnesis proved rather often to be incomplete. In intensive care medicine, the CDT investigation could be used as a guide to diagnoses and treatment, especially for patients that are difficult to communicate with. For being of use here, results of the CDT determination should be available within a day. CDT proved to be of use also in psychiatric medicine, the test being of help in clarifying the patients acohol addiction.