Increased serum concentrations of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) has been reported to be one of the best laboratory markers in serum (S) for detection of alcohol abuse. We have studied S-CDT values in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and show that CF patients have increased S-CDT values without high alcohol consumption. CF patients have abnormalities in their protein glycosylation and sialylation, which may explain the increased S-CDT values.