Comparison of questionnaire and biochemical markers to detect alcohol abuse in a West Indian population

This study bears upon the respective validity of biochemical markers and questionnaires to detect alcohol abuse in a population with a high rate of alcohol-linked neurological complications. GammaGT and apoprotein AII were the most powerful of eight studied biochemical markers in detecting two-thirds of excessive drinkers. The CAGE questionnaire identified 74% of moderate drinkers and 94% of excessive drinkers with a life style and patterns of alcohol consumption different from previously tested target populations. The joint association of the CAGE questionnaire and apoprotein AII detected more than 9 out of 10 moderate or excessive drinkers defined on the basis of a quantity-frequency grid.