Fatty acid ethyl esters: short-term and long-term serum markers of ethanol intake.

This review includes a description of short-term and long-term markers of ethanol intake and their clinical utility. The major portion of this report is a summary of studies on fatty acid ethyl ester, a new marker for monitoring both acute and chronic ethanol intake. With the markers described in the review, algorithms to assess recent ethanol intake, chronic ethanol intake, and end organ damage are included to provide a practical approach to the evaluation of the patient.