Background: Biomarkers add credibility to research dealing with alcohol treatment efficacy and provide clinicians with an additional source of objective information on patients. Elevated GGT activity remains the most common marker of alcohol abuse. Mean Corpuscular Volume is also associated with heavy chronic drinking as the MCV in heavy drinkers tends to exceed the normal range.

Aim and objectives:

1.      To measure and compare GGT and MCV in patients of alcohol dependence and controls

2.      To compare GGT and MCV in uncomplicated alcohol withdrawal patients and alcohol withdrawal patients with convulsions

3.      To measure the sensitivity and specificity of GGT and MCV as biomarkers in alcohol dependence

Methods and materials:  This was a hospital based case control study conducted on 100 inpatients of alcohol dependence and equal number of age and sex matched controls. Blood samples were collected from the patients on the first day of admission and, GGT and MCV were measured using bichromatic technique and automated analyzer respectively. The results were analysed using SPSS Version 16.0 setting the significance threshold at p=0.05.

Results: There was significant elevation of GGT and MCV in patients of alcohol dependence when compared to controls. GGT was also significantly elevated in alcohol withdrawal cases with convulsions compared to cases with uncomplicated alcohol withdrawal. Overall GGT was found to be a more sensitive and specific marker than MCV.

Conclusion: Both GGT and MCV can be used effectively as alcohol markers, with GGT being more sensitive and specific between the two. Elevated GGT levels in alcohol withdrawal patients with convulsions indicate that it could be a risk factor for alcohol withdrawal seizures.