Monitoring alcoholism treatment: the appropriateness of choice between gamma GT or MCV evaluation after a short time of abstinence.

Gamma glutamyl transferase (gamma GT) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were evaluated in 58 alcoholics entering alcoholism treatment. The same patients were reassessed after one month of abstinence. Group results revealed a significant reduction of gamma GT from 80.2 to 43.1 IU/l while no alteration was detected for MCV (from 97.1 to 96.7 mu 3). However, individual analysis showed that the average MCV results obtained from the 2nd evaluation masked important within-individual differences. Thus, although a considerable percentage of alcoholics with initial high values showed an improvement, 44% of those with initial normal results had abnormally high reevaluation values. Limitations of serial MCV measurement during alcoholism treatment follow-up are discussed in light of these data.