title: Role of gamma-glutamyl transferase activity in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels are frequently observed in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, the significance of this finding remains unclear. The purpose of the present paper was to assess the relationship between GGT levels and clinical, biochemical and histological features in chronic HCV-infected carriers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with a liver biopsy presenting anti-HCV and HCV-RNA were evaluated. Age, gender, risk factors of transmission, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), GGT and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels and histological features were assessed in all. Data were analyzed statistically by the chi2 test and multivariate logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 201 patients studied, elevated GGT levels and bile duct damage were observed in 48% and 35% of them, respectively. No association was seen between GGT level and bile duct damage or between GGT level and hepatic steatosis. Initially, age >40 years (P=0.007), elevated ALT (P=0.01), grading of inflammatory activity (P=0.004) and staging of fibrosis (P<0.001) were found to be associated with elevated GGT levels. After multivariate regression analysis, histology grading 3 and 4 inflammation activity (P=0.01) and staging 3 and 4 fibrosis (P=0.01) remained independently associated with elevated GGT level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant number of patients with chronic HCV infection had elevated serum GGT levels. Furthermore, this enzyme seemed to be useful as an indirect marker of more advanced liver disease in chronic hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Escola Paulista de Medicina de São Paulo, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil. nett@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Ivonette S S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Maria Lucia C G
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ferraz
authors.forename: Renata M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Valeria P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Lanzoni
authors.forename: Virginia M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Antonio E B
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase