Alcoholism - Diagnosis

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Tests for Related Medical Problems

Physical Examination. A physical examination and other tests should be performed to uncover any related medical problems.

Laboratory Tests. Tests for alcohol levels in the blood are not useful for diagnosing alcoholism because they reflect consumption at only one point in time and not long-term usage. Certain blood tests, however, may provide biologic markers that suggest medical problems associated with alcoholism or indications of alcohol abuse:

• Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT). This compound is a marker for heavy drinking and can be helpful in monitoring patients for progress towards abstinence.
• Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT). This liver enzyme is very sensitive to alcohol and can be elevated after moderate alcohol intake and in chronic alcoholism.
• Aspartate (AST) and alanine aminotransaminases (ALT). These are liver enzymes and are markers for liver damage.
• Testosterone. Male hormone levels in men with alcoholism may be low. (Such results sometimes persuade men with alcoholism to seek help.)
• Mean corpuscular volume (MCV). This blood test measures the size of red blood cells, which increase with alcohol use over time.

Review Date: 12/03/2006
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital