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Alcohol and Alcoholism Advance Access published online on April 25, 2005
Alcohol and Alcoholism, doi:10.1093/alcalc/agh162
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© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Medical Council on Alcohol. All rights reserved
Received November 30, 2004
Revised February 15, 2005
Accepted March 21, 2005

Article

ERYTHROCYTE THIAMINE (Th) ESTERS: A MAJOR FACTOR OF THE ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME OR A CANDIDATE MARKER FOR ALCOHOLISM ITSELF?

M. CECCANTI 1*, R. MANCINELLI 2, G. F. SASSO 1, J. P. ALLEN 3, R. BINETTI 2, A. MELLINI 1, F. ATTILIA 1, L. TOPPO 1, and M. L. ATTILIA 1

1 Alcohol Unit, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
2 Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
3 Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Calverton, MD, USA

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
M. CECCANTI, E-mail: mauro.ceccanti{at}uniroma1.it


  Abstract

Aims: Thiamine (Th) deficiency is a major problem in alcoholics. In this study, the relationship of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) to Th and its esters, as well as the diagnostic power of Th and its esters were investigated. Patients and methods: Th and its esters were assessed in a series of chronic alcoholics (and in controls) using an improved method. Results: No association was found between AWS severity and Th and its esters, while the diagnostic power of thiamine diphosphate (TDP) and Th was very high. TDP was the most significant among the parameters under study, confirming that erythrocyte TDP is a suitable marker of alcoholism: TDP sensitivity across subjects was 84.1%, specificity 85.4%, positive predictive value 82.4%, and negative predictive value 88.0%.


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