Mayo Test Catalog, (Sorted By Test Name) - Mayo Medical ...

CDTA
82425
CHOU
9255
glycosylation and potential therapy - tip of an iceberg. J Pediatr 1998;133:593-600 6. Stibler H, Borg S:
Evidence of a reduced sialic acid content in serum transferrin in male alcoholics. Alcohol Clin Exp Res
1981;5:545-549
Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin, Adult, Serum
Clinical Information: Chronic alcoholism causes a transient change in the glycosylation pattern of
transferrin where the relative amounts of disialo- and asialotransferrin (carbohydrate deficient transferrin
[CDT]) are increased over the amount of normally glycosylated tetrasialotransferrin. This recognition led
to the use of CDT in serum as marker for chronic alcohol abuse. CDT typically normalizes within several
weeks of abstinence of alcohol use. However, it is important to recognize that there are other causes of
abnormal CDT levels, which include congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) and other genetic and
non-genetic causes of acute or chronic liver disease. CDT testing alone is not recommended for general
screening for alcoholism; however, when combined with other methods (ie, gamma-glutamyltransferase,
mean corpuscular volume, patient self-reporting) clinicians can expect to identify 90% or more of patients
who consume a large amount of alcohol.
Useful For: An indicator of chronic alcohol abuse
Interpretation: Patients with chronic alcoholism may develop abnormally glycosylated transferrin
isoforms (ie, carbohydrate deficient transferring [CDT] >0.12). CDT results from 0.11 to 0.12 are
considered indeterminate. Patients with liver disease due to genetic or non-genetic causes may also have
abnormal results.
Reference Values:
< or =0.10
0.11-0.12 (indeterminate)
Clinical References: 1. Delanghe JR, De Buyzere ML: Carbohydrate deficient transferrin and
forensic medicine. Clin Chim Acta 2009;406:1-7 2. Fleming MF, Anton RF, Spies CD: A review of
genetic, biological, pharmacological, and clinical factors that affect carbohydrate-deficient transferrin
levels. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2004;28(9):1347-1355 3. Salaspuro M: Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin as
compared to other markers of alcoholism: a systematic review. Alcohol 1999;19:261-271 4. Stibler H:
Carbohydrate-deficient transferring in serum: a new marker of potentially harmful alcohol consumption
reviewed. Clin Chem 1991;37:2029-2037 5. Stibler H, Borg S: Evidence of a reduced sialic acid content
in serum transferrin in male alcoholics. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 1981;5:545-549
Carbohydrate, Urine
Clinical Information: Saccharides (also called carbohydrates) are a group of mono-, di-, and
oligosaccharides of endogenous and exogenous sources. Their presence frequently reflects dietary
onsumption, but can indicate specific pathology if either a particular saccharide or a particular excretory
pattern is present. Most saccharides (except glucose) have low renal thresholds and are readily excreted in
the urine. The presence of saccharides in urine is seen in some inborn errors of metabolism. Urine tests for
reducing substances (eg, copper reduction test) are often used to screen for those disorders. However, in
addition to sugars, a number of other substances present in biological fluids (eg, salicylates, uric acid,
hippuric acid, ascorbic acid) have reducing properties. Conversely, some saccharides such as sucrose and
trehalose do not have reducing properties. Other saccharides present at low concentrations may not be
identified by reducing tests. Substances in urine may inhibit glucose oxidase-based tests and also, other
saccharides of diagnostic importance may be present along with glucose in urine. Chromatography of
urinary saccharides is, therefore, required in many instances to identify the particular species of
saccharide present. Any specimen tested for urinary carbohydrates is concurrently tested for the presence
of succinyl nucleosides to screen for inborn errors of purine synthesis.
Useful For: Screening for disorders with increased excretion of fructose, glucose, galactose,
disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and succinylpurines
Current as of January 3, 2013 2:22 pm CST 800-533-1710 or 507-266-5700 or MayoMedicalLaboratories.com Page 374