Have you been drinking more than usual? A new blood test could soon reveal whether your alcohol consumption is harming your liver. Researchers report that a blood-borne byproduct of alcohol called phosphatidyl ethanol (PEth) offers a reliable way to assess liver scarring caused by excessive drinking. This innovative method, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, has the potential to revolutionize how doctors diagnose and monitor alcohol-related liver damage.

PEth testing provides a more accurate picture of alcohol-related harm compared to relying on self-reported drinking habits. According to Judy Hahn, senior researcher and professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), this approach is akin to how other health risks are measured: “We don’t ask someone how much fatty food they eat; we measure their cholesterol. Similarly, we weigh people rather than asking how much they think they weigh,” Hahn explained in a UCSF news release.

When the body processes alcohol, it produces PEth, a compound that correlates directly with alcohol consumption. Previous studies have confirmed that blood concentrations of PEth accurately reflect the quantity of alcohol consumed, making it a promising biomarker for liver damage. This test could enable healthcare professionals to better understand a patient's drinking patterns and offer tailored advice to prevent long-term complications.

Researchers pooled data from 12 studies conducted across the United States, Russia, Uganda, and South Africa, analyzing over 4,600 participants. These studies included PEth testing, self-reported alcohol use, and liver damage measurements. The findings revealed that elevated PEth levels strongly correlated with liver damage scores. In contrast, self-reports of drinking habits showed weaker associations with liver scarring, likely due to underreporting or memory lapses among participants.

“This is the largest study yet to examine the relationship between PEth and liver damage,” researchers noted. It’s also the first to compare the effectiveness of PEth testing against self-reports in assessing the risk of liver scarring. The results underline the importance of integrating PEth tests into routine blood work.

Heavy drinking is a widespread issue in the United States, with about 24 per cent of adults binge drinking and over 6 per cent classified as heavy drinkers, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol-related liver disease is a growing public health concern, especially as drinking levels surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Liver scarring, also known as fibrosis, can be slowed or even reversed by reducing alcohol intake and adopting a healthy diet low in sugar, salt, and fat. However, early detection is crucial to prevent the condition from progressing to more severe stages like cirrhosis or liver failure.

The study's lead researcher, Pamela Murnane, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at UCSF, emphasized the need for routine PEth testing: “To prevent and manage liver fibrosis, we need to know how much a person is drinking. Self-reports simply don’t provide an accurate grasp of that.”

Incorporating PEth testing into standard blood panels could help identify at-risk individuals earlier, allowing for timely interventions to protect liver health. As researchers continue to explore this technology, it holds promise for improving how alcohol-related liver disease is diagnosed and treated, ultimately saving lives.

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