Evaluation of Clinical Utility and Sample Types for Emerging Specific and Direct Alcohol Biomarkers for the Detection of Alcohol Use History among Prospective Blood Donors: A Theoretical Review

Abstract

The detection of alcohol use history amongst potential blood donors is crucial to ensure the safety of the blood supply. Traditional laboratory-based testing methods have shown to have some limitations namely lengthy turnaround times and high costs. Emerging direct and specific alcohol biomarkers offer a promising solution for rapid and accurate detection of substances and alcohol use history. This review critically evaluates the current state of emerging specific and direct alcohol biomarkers for detecting alcohol use history amongst potential blood donors. The review also discusses the advantages and limitations of these biomarkers, including their sensitivity, specificity, and potential for false positives and false negatives and the types of sample to be used. In addition, it also examines the potential applications of these biomarkers in blood donation settings, including their potential to improve blood safety and reduce costs. Finally, the review highlights the need for further research and evaluation of these biomarkers to ensure their accuracy and reliability in detecting alcohol use history amongst potential blood donors.