Determination of serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin by a nephelometric immunoassay for differential diagnosis of alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver diseases

This simple carbohydrate-deficient transferrin immunoassay is useful to detect so-called gamma glutamyl transferase non-responding drinkers and also to exclude the possible role of excessive drinking in apparently non-alcoholic liver diseases. A large-scale prospective study is needed to further confirm the diagnostic utility of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin.