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HelpTest ID CDTA Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin, Adult, Serum
Ordering Guidance
This test is for evaluation of alcohol abuse. If the ordering physician is looking for congenital disorders of glycosylation, order CDG / Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin for Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation, Serum.
Necessary Information
1. Patient's age is required.
2. Reason for testing is required if patient is younger than 21 years of age.
Specimen Required
Collection Container/Tube:
Preferred: Serum gel
Acceptable: Red top
Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial
Specimen Volume: 0.1 mL
Collection Instructions: Centrifuge and aliquot serum into a plastic vial.
Forms
If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send a Therapeutics Test Request (T831) with the specimen.
Useful For
Indicating chronic alcohol abuse
This test is not appropriate for screening patients for congenital disorders of glycosylation.
Method Name
Affinity Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (MS)
Reporting Name
Carb Def Transferrin, Adult, SSpecimen Type
SerumSpecimen Minimum Volume
0.05 mL
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Serum | Frozen (preferred) | 45 days |
| Refrigerated | 28 days | |
| Ambient | 7 days |
Clinical Information
Chronic alcoholism causes a transient change in the glycosylation pattern of transferrin where the relative amounts of disialo- and asialotransferrin (carbohydrate deficient transferrin: CDT) are increased over the amount of normally glycosylated tetrasialotransferrin. This recognition led to the use of CDT in serum as a marker for chronic alcohol abuse.
CDT typically normalizes within several weeks of abstinence of alcohol use. However, it is important to recognize that there are other causes of abnormal CDT levels, which include congenital disorders of glycosylation and other genetic and nongenetic causes of acute or chronic liver disease.
CDT testing alone is not recommended for general screening for alcoholism; however, when combined with other methods (ie, gamma-glutamyltransferase, mean corpuscular volume, patient self-reporting, ethylglucuronide analysis), clinicians can expect to identify the majority of patients who consume a large amount of alcohol.
Reference Values
≤0.10
0.11-0.12 (indeterminate)
Cautions
This assay has not been fully validated for the investigation of alcoholism.
Carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT) testing alone is not recommended for general screening for alcoholism. Analysis of more than one biomarker is recommended to avoid misinterpretation of results.
The abnormal transferrin isoform pattern in patients with chronic alcoholism is similar to that observed in congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG). However, unlike most patients with CDG, the relative amount of monoglycosylated transferrin is much lower. Other conditions such as hereditary fructose intolerance, galactosemia, and liver disease may result in increased levels of CDT. In addition, preanalytic variables such as bacterial contamination may cause falsely elevated CDT values. Several factors may cause variability in CDT analysis, including ethnicity, gender, pregnancy, body mass index, smoking, blood pressure, iron metabolism, drug interactions, chronic medical illness.
Day(s) Performed
Wednesday
Report Available
7 to 10 daysPerforming Laboratory
Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester
Test Classification
This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.CPT Code Information
82373