title: Utility of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and mean corpuscular volume in alcoholic liver disease.
abstract: The present study was designed to establish the role of Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Serum gamma-GT, total and direct bilirubin, albumin, total protein, AST, ALT and ALP were assayed by standard methods in a clinical chemistry autoanalyser. MCV, Hb, PCV and RBC were measured by an automated cell counter. Activity of gamma-GT and MCV levels were significantly higher in the patients with ALD compared to controls. A gamma-GT level of > or = 25 U/l was found to be significantly associated with ALD. MCV level > or = 100 fl/l showed a significant association with ALD. An AST to ALT ratio > 1 was found in 92% of the patients. None of the patients showed an ALT level > or = 300 IU/l. The degree of AST elevation in the patients with ALD was higher (3.7 times) then ALT (3.2 times). A gamma-GT level > or = 25 IU/L and an MCV level > or = 100 fl/l stand as markers of heavy alcohol consumption in this study. An AST to ALT ratio > 1 was present in most of the patients with ALD. The degree of elevation of AST was higher than ALT in the patients with ALD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, BP Koirala Institute of Health Science, Dharan, Nepal. nirmalbaral@yahoo.com
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baral
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pokhrel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lamsal
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Sah
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D009390:Nepal; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase