The alcohol biomarker phosphatidylethanol (PEth) - test performance and experiences from routine analysis and external quality assessment.
Scand J Clin Lab Invest
; 83(6): 424-431, 2023 Oct.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37697976
ABSTRACT
Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) are membrane molecules formed from phosphatidylcholine and ethanol through transphosphatidylation catalyzed by phospholipase D. Measurement of the main PEth form 160/181 is used as a specific and sensitive alcohol biomarker, since its formation requires ethanol, it accumulates in the blood upon repeated ethanol exposure, and it is only slowly eliminated during abstinence. PEth formation correlates with alcohol intake at the population level, albeit with considerable inter-individual variation as for the half-life during withdrawal. Over the past decade, the use of PEth has increased significantly and the applications have broadened. In Sweden, routine decision limits and the interpretation of test results for PEth were harmonized in 2013, using < 0.05 µmol/L (â¼35 µg/L) as the recommended lower reporting limit and values > 0.30 µmol/L (â¼210 µg/L) to indicate regular high alcohol intake. Routine test results show a large variation with about half being < 0.05 µmol/L and some even exceeding 10 µmol/L. In 2013, an external quality assessment (EQA) scheme for PEth 160/181 measurement in whole blood was also started (Equalis, Uppsala, Sweden), presently involving 56 laboratories from 13 countries. The agreement of PEth results between the laboratories has gradually improved to a CV < 15%. The current clinical and scientific information suggests that PEth values below the lower reporting limit (typically â¼0.03-0.05 µmol/L, or â¼20-35 µg/L) indicates sobriety or only low or occasional alcohol consumption, while regular high alcohol intake at levels corresponding to harmful drinking is required in most cases to reach PEth values > 0.30 µmol/L.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Scand J Clin Lab Invest
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Suecia