Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin in relation to the menopausal status of women

Background: Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) has been reported as an excellent marker for male alcohol abuse. Little is known about its validity among women, in whom rather conflicting data concerning the efficiency of the CDT marker and its biochemical mechanism have been reported. Moreover, it is not clear why the reference ranges are different for women (0 to 26 Units per liter) and men (0 to 20 Units per liter). Methods: In this population-based study, we examined the normal CDT values measured by CDTect(R) in 331 healthy female teetotalers, randomly selected from a large cohort. They were divided into four groups: premenopausal women (n = 76), perimenopausal women (n = 86), postmenopausal women (n = 84), and users of estrogens/progestagens (n = 85). Results: The mean of the CDT value in the premenopausal group (15.2 Units per liter) was significantly higher than the mean in the postmenopausal group (13.6 Units per liter; p < 0.016). In pre- and perimenopausal women, higher CDT levels were associated with the last period of menstruation; for women menstruating less than 1 month ago versus longer ago, the mean serum CDT value was 15.4 vs. 13.0 Units per liter (p < 0.01). Conclusions: The premenopausal state seems to increase serum levels of CDT, probably due to the amount and frequency of blood loss during the menstrual period, and should be considered when interpreting CDT values in women.