Ethyl glucuronide in hair and fingernails as a long-term alcohol biomarker

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) in hair and fingernails as a long-term alcohol biomarker. Design: Cross-sectional survey with probability sampling. Setting: Midwestern United States. Participants: Participants were 606 undergraduate college students between the ages of 18 and 25 years at the time of selection for potential study participation. Measurements: EtG concentrations in hair and fingernails were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry at three thresholds [30 picograms (pg) per milligram (mg); 20pg/mg; and 8pg/mg]. Any weekly alcohol use, increasing-risk drinking and high-risk drinking on average during the past 12 weeks was assessed by participant interview using the time-line follow-back method. Findings: In both hair and fingernails at all three EtG thresholds, sensitivity was greatest for the high-risk drinking group [hair: 0.43, confidence interval (CI)=0.17, 0.69 at 30pg/mg, 0.71, CI=0.47, 0.95 at 20pg/mg; 0.93, CI=0.79, 1.00 at 8pg/mg; fingernails: 1.00, CI=1.00-1.00 at 30, 20 and 8pg/mg] and specificity was greatest for any alcohol use (hair: 1.00, CI=1.00, 1.00 at 30 and 20pg/mg; 0.97, CI=0.92-0.99 at 8pg/mg; fingernails: 1.00, CI=1.00-1.00 at 30, 20 and 8pg/mg). Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves were significantly higher for EtG concentration in fingernails than hair for any weekly alcohol use (P=0.02, DeLong test, two-tailed) and increasing-risk drinking (P=0.02, DeLong test, two-tailed). Conclusions: Ethyl glucuronide, especially in fingernails, may have potential as a quantitative indicator of alcohol use. © 2013 The Authors.