The relation between liver histopathology and GGT levels in viral hepatitis: more important in hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the relationship between gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels and histopathological status determined by biopsy in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with chronic hepatitis B and C who were referred to the Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine Gastroenterology outpatient clinic between January 2005-January 2011 and underwent liver biopsy were included in the study. Overall, 246 patients with hepatitis B and 151 patients with hepatitis C were enrolled. According to the evaluation based on the Ishak score, patients with a histological activity index (HAI) between 0-12 were defined as low activity, and those with an HAI between 13-18 were defined as high activity. In addition, patients with a fibrosis score of 0-2 were defined as low fibrosis, and those with a score between 3-6 were defined as high fibrosis; comparisons were made accordingly.

RESULTS

In patients with hepatitis B, the mean GGT level was 38.86±42.4 (IU/L) in the low activity group and 60.44±44.4 (IU/L) in the high activity group (p<0.05). In hepatitis B patients, the mean GGT level was 26.89±14.83 (IU/L) in the low fibrosis group, whereas it was 65.60±59.7 (IU/L) in the high fibrosis group (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between HAI and fibrosis group with regard to GGT levels in the hepatitis C patients.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it is proposed that in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, GGT levels can be taken into consideration to predict advanced histological liver damage, especially in patients with hepatitis B.