The complementarity of phosphatidylethanol in whole blood and ethyl glucuronide in hair as biomarkers for the monitoring of alcohol use

• DOI: 10.1002/dta.3557
• Publication Date: 2023-07-29T05:03:50Z
• Authors: Catalina Dumitrascu; Celine Gys; Sarah M. R. Wille; Maria del Mar Ram...; Diona D'Hondt; Alexia Van Goethem; Babette Van Rafel...; Eline Baetens; Werner Jacobs; Hugo Neels; Adrian Covaci; Alexander L. N. v...
• Keywords: Ethyl glucuronide; Phosphatidylethanol; Hair analysis; Phlebotomy; Venous blood

Abstract Monitoring long‐term alcohol use and/or abstinence is essential in clinical and medico‐legal cases. Analysis of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) hair provides information on consumption over several months. However, there a lag time between ethanol consumption, incorporation EtG the bulb growing out scalp. Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) 16:0/18:1 analysis whole blood has detection window 2–4 weeks, allowing for recent consumption. In this study, 2340 paired samples (of venous from 1170 individuals) were analysed (hEtG) PEth blood. hEtG results subdivided into three categories according to consensus SoHT PEth‐NET (PEth): abstinence/low, moderate or excessive For analysis, 446 individuals presented abstinence/low which 2% classified as users through analysis. This suggests weeks before sample collection. Out 483 heavy based 14% showed implying that these subjects stopped drinking Our show two different biomarkers can lead more accurate categorisation individuals. Therefore, we emphasize retrospective investigation use, it necessary include with windows.