Relationship of Abnormal Chromatographic Pattern for Carbohydrate-Deficient Transferrin with Severe Liver Disease

Serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) is a validated test for chronic heavy alcohol drinking, but CDT abnormalities have been associated with liver disease, limiting its use in these patients. We report here on the association between poor chromatographic resolution of disialotransferrin from trisialotransferrin (the so-called 'di-tri bridging') and liver disease severity and etiology.

Subjects were patients in whom detailed clinical data, including histology results, were available on their existing liver diseases (n=139). Percent disialo-CDT (%dCDT) was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, and the risks for di-tri bridging associated with cirrhosis, with and without adjustment for alcohol use and alcohol-related liver disease, were estimated.

Di-tri bridging was present in 22/73 (30%) cirrhotic subjects and 7/66 (11%) non-cirrhotic subjects. The unadjusted risk for di-tri bridging in cirrhotics relative to non-cirrhotics was 3.6 (95% confidence interval 1.4-9.2). Adjustment for alcohol-related liver disease and current drinking had little effect on this estimate (adjusted odds ratio 3.4), and neither alcohol-related liver disease nor current drinking were independently associated with di-tri bridging after accounting for the effect of cirrhosis.

The presence of di-tri bridging was associated with cirrhosis in individuals with both alcohol-related and non-alcoholic liver disease, although most cirrhotic subjects did not exhibit di-tri bridging. When di-tri bridging is seen in individuals being tested for chronic heavy drinking, investigation for cirrhosis should be considered.

There are known liver-disease-associated abnormalities in CDT. In this study, we found that such abnormalities were strongly associated with cirrhosis rather than less-advanced disease, but were only clinically evident in 30% of cirrhotics. Abnormalities also occurred in severe hepatitis without cirrhosis and were not specific for liver disease etiology.