Serum beta-hexosaminidase in young university students.

In a sample of 203 first-year university students, serum beta-hexosaminidase (beta-HEX) was studied as a possible marker of heavy drinking. There are no previous studies on beta-HEX in a young nonalcoholic population. All students were healthy and without regular medication except the use of p-pills in 49 of the 123 female students. Alcohol consumption was measured on a frequency-volume scale. Serum beta-HEX did not correlate with reported drinking, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) nor alcohol problems. The mean beta-HEX of 26 teetotalers did not differ from that of the heaviest drinking group (n = 25). A new finding was a significant (p = 0.009) increase of serum beta-HEX in female students using oral contraceptives. We conclude that serum beta-HEX is a poor indicator of alcohol consumption in young university students and if elevated the use of p-pills must be considered.