Serum Activity of Gamma‐glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) in Relation to Estimated Alcohol Consumption and Questionnaires in Alcohol Dependence Syndrome

Summary Estimated total ethanol consumption in the month and in the 12 months before admission was examined in 232 patients (197males and 35females) with a mean age of 43.8years (range 20‐70). AH were admitted to a clinic for alcoholics and had a mean drinking history of 13 years (range 1‐42 years). The mean consumption was 50.1 litres pure ethanol per year and 6.5 litres in the month before admission. The Brief Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (Brief MAST) and CAGE questionnaires detected every patient (100%) with a mean score of 2LS points (range 9‐30) and 3.8 points (range 2–4), respectively. Seventy‐one percent had increased activity of gamma‐glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) above our cut‐off values (males 50 U/l and females 40 U/l). A statistically significant association was found between GGT and the estimated annual alcohol consumption ( r =0.28, p <.001). Although serum GGT is a sensitive marker in alcoholism, the GGT does not predict the amount of alcohol consumed. Although the patients were a highly selected group, we conclude that the questionnaires of Brief MAST and CAGE seem to be more sensitive than the serum values of GGT.