title: Gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase as markers of alcohol consumption in out-patient alcoholics.
abstract: Serum activity of gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase were determined in 316 patients attending an out-patients clinic for treatment of alcoholism. The activity of gamma-glutamyltransferase was raised in 34% and that of aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase in 18% and 7%. Neither the activity of gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase nor alkaline phosphatase showed any significant (P greater than 0.05) correlation with the history of alcohol consumption. The activities of gamma-glutamyltransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were raised significantly more often in patients with recent alcohol consumption than in patients who had abstained for more than 9 days. The concentration of alkaline phosphatase was not significantly (P greater than 0.05) different in these groups. The predictive value of raised and normal activities of gamma-glutamyltransferase, in deciding whether a patient had had recent alcohol consumption or not, was not superior to the predictive value of raised and normal activities of aspartate aminotransferase.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood*; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D004221:Disulfiram / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D004221:Disulfiram