Table 2: Key findings of combination biomarkers as reported by various studies.

Authors Biomarkers Sample Source Study Population Key Findings
Bell, et al. [88] GGT, CDT, AST, ALT and MCV Serum/Plasma 400 Alcoholic patients observed for over 4 weeks Highest sensitivities for CDT and GGT (65% to 73%). Lower
sensitivity for AST, ALT, and MCV (50%, 35%, and 52%, respectively)
Doyle, et al. [89] FAEE Serum Healthy subjects ingested a weight-adjusted amount
of ethanol at a fixed rate		 Positive over a period of 24 hour
Scouller, et al. [90] CDT, GGT Serum/Plasma Meta-analysis of 110 clinical studies CDT was little better than GGT in detecting high or
intermediate-risk alcohol consumption in a large,
multi-centre, predominantly community-based sample
Wurst, et al. [91] Breath, urinary ethanol, urinary EtG, CDT, PEth, GGT, MCV Breath/Serum/Plasma/Urine/Whole blood Forensic psychiatry inpatient (committed a substance-related offence). Ethyl glucuronide is capable of detecting alcohol consumption
in cases where neither traditional biological state
markers of alcohol intake nor clinical impression gave an indication
Borucki, et al. [68] FAEE Serum Heavy drinkers Remains elevated at least up to 44 hours
Borucki, et al. [92] Serum FAEE, Urinary EtG, 5-HTOL/5-HIAA in Urine Serum/Urine Sixteen (14 male, 2 female) heavy alcohol drinkers FAEE declined until 15 hours and 5-HTOL/5-HIAA declined
after 29 hours, however EtG concentration showed
100% sensitivity for 39 hours
Chrostek, et al. [44] CDT, MCV, AST, ALT, GGT and Sialic Acid (SA) Serum/Plasma Subjects recently abstinent from alcohol consumption CDT appeared to have higher sensitivity however the
sensitivity decreased for all studied alcohol markers
when the period of abstinence was longer than one week
Høiseth, et al. [54] EtG Urine Ten male volunteers consumed ethanol at a fixed
dose of 0.5 g/kg body weight in a fasted state		 Detected up to 13-20 hours with small quantity
Halender, et al. [93] EtG Urine Alcoholic patients undergoing alcohol detoxification Detected up to 40-90 hours (< 0.5 mg/g)
Morini, et al. [94] Hair EtG and CDT Serum/Hair Subjects with alcoholic history Superior sensitivity specificity of Hair EtG (then CDT)
Kharbouch, et al. [95] Hair EtG, CDT, GGT, ATL, AST Serum/Hair Teetotallers, low-risk drinkers, at-risk drinkers, or heavy drinkers Hair EtG diagnostic performance was significantly better
Hastedt, et al. [96] CDT, MCV, GGT, ALT, AST, Hair EtG and Hair FAEE Serum/Hair Social drinkers, non-drinkers and alcoholics group Hair FAEEs and Hair EtG offered a longer time frame
of several months for detecting chronic excessive
alcohol consumption than the traditional biomarkers
Alladio, et al. [97] ALT, AST, CDT, GGT, MCV, EtG, FAEE Blood/Hair 125 subjects including social and heavy drinkers Hair FAEEs and Hair EtG offered detection of
chronic alcohol consumption