The fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) hair test: emerging technology for the diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)

Abstract

Aim: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the most prevalent cause of neurocognitive handicap among North American children. A serious challenge in the diagnosis of FASD is the need to document excessive maternal drinking during pregnancy, however maternal self-report is often unreliable creating a need for an objective biomarker. Methodology: Testing for xenobiotics in hair has been gaining popularity in recent years as a screening method for drug use because of its unique advantage of being non-invasive and providing a stable, long-term record of past and or chronic drug exposure. The recent advent of a hair test to measure excessive alcohol use, the FAEE hair test, has opened the door to exploring its use as a new diagnostic tool for FASD. The current article briefly reviews recent advances in research involving the FAEE hair test in this context. Conclusion: Recent advances in research involving the FAEE hair test suggest that FAEE hair analysis may be a powerful tool in detecting heavy alcohol use in the perinatal period and in FASD diagnosis.