title: Plasma alpha-glutathione S-transferase assessed as a marker of liver damage in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: alpha-Glutathione S-transferase (alpha-GST; EC 2.5.1.18) has been advocated as a better marker of hepatocellular damage than the transaminases in toxic and autoimmune hepatitis. We have assessed the potential interest of plasma alpha-GST determination in 94 anti-hepatitis C virus-positive patients with histologically proven chronic hepatitis C (34 women, 60 men, ages 40.0 +/- 11.9 years). Blood samples were assayed for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyltransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and alpha-GST on the same day a liver biopsy was performed. alpha-GST concentrations were significantly above reference values in 64% of patients (compared with 58% for AST, 68% for ALT), and this increase was seen in 52% of patients with normal values for transaminases and a Knodell score > 3. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between alpha-GST and lobular necrosis score (r = 0.31; P < 0.01). Our findings suggest that association of plasma alpha-GST with ALT may improve the biochemical assessment of liver damage in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase