Use of gamma glutamyltransferase isoenzymes in the differentiation of chronic liver diseases
Turecký, L.; Kupcová, V.; Laktis, K.; Uhlíková, E.; Szántová, M.
Bratislavske Lekarske Listy 98(3): 137-140
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0006-9248 PMID: 9264817 Document Number: 475058
Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GMT) is prevalently of hepatic origin, and its activity has long been known to be increased in most patients with hepatobiliary diseases. The different isoforms of GMT in serum, particularly those found in the course of hepatobiliary diseases, are associated with various lipoproteins. An important fraction of GMT activity is associated with apoprotein B in patients with icteric or anicteric cholestasis. We have studied the association of GMT activity with LDL and VLDL lipoproteins in patients with chronic liver diseases and the possibility to use this laboratory test in discriminating liver malignancies from other liver diseases. Thirty-eight healthy subjects, aged between 19 and 45 years, and 38 patients with liver cirrhosis, 7 with liver tumor, 16 with chronic active hepatitis and 5 with primary biliary cirrhosis were studied. Serum GMT activity complexed with LDL+VLDL was estimated according to Sacchetti et al. A cut-off of 40 U.l-1 of GMT complexed with VLDL+LDL results in a diagnostic sensitivity of 85% for liver tumor patients, and a diagnostic specificity of 87% and 65% towards the chronic active hepatitis or liver cirrhosis, respectively. According to our results, this test could be a useful contribution to laboratory tests that serve to discriminate chronic hepatopathies from liver malignancies. Our results are in agreement with the results published by Sacchetti et al. 1988, 167-172). (Tab. 1, Fig. 1, Ref. 15.)