[Phosphatidyethanol in the diagnosis and treatment of alcohol-related disorders]

The diagnosis and treatment of alcohol use disorders often pose complex questions and challenges for healthcare professionals. In addition to the established indirect biomarkers (e. g. carbohydrate-deficient transferrin [CDT]), clinical research in recent years has produced increasingly valuable findings on the use of direct biomarkers. In this regard, the marker phosphatidyltethanol (PEth), a lipid metabolite that is formed during the breakdown of ethanol, is stored in the erythrocytes, should be emphasized in particular. The advantage of targeted use of PEth in general medical and psychiatric practice to improve diagnostics and therapy has been demonstrated in clinical studies in recent years. Together with the established screening instruments (e. g. AUDIT), PEth can lead to greater validity in the diagnosis of alcohol use disorders. Targeted use of PEth can be used to control treatment goals (e. g. abstinence vs. controlled drinking) and monitor them longitudinally. The determination of PEth generally facilitates and improves communication with patients and can contribute to a destigmatization of the clinical picture, as certain feelings of shame and inhibitions in doctor-patient contact could be diminished.