title: Diagnostic efficiency in discriminating liver malignancies from cirrhosis by serum gamma-glutamyltransferase isoforms.
abstract: Total GGT and GGT complexed with low-density-lipoprotein plus very low-density lipoprotein (LDL + VLDL) have been evaluated in sera from 53 healthy subjects, 23 patients with chronic hepatitis, 87 with liver cirrhosis and 50 with liver tumors (primary and metastatic). A cut-off of 20 U/l of GGT complexed with LDL + VLDL results in a diagnostic sensitivity of 84% for liver tumor patients, and a diagnostic specificity of about 80% towards the two groups of patients affected by cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis. This test, because of its high diagnostic efficiency, is a useful addition to the battery of laboratory tests that serve to discriminate cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis from liver malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Scienze Biochimiche, Università di Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sacchetti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castaldo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cimino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Budillon
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Salvatore
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005590:Fractional Precipitation; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D008074:Lipoproteins; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase