Hepatic gamma-glutamyl transferase and hepatic fibrosis in patients with alcoholic liver disease.

The activity of gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) in the liver of 22 patients with alcoholic liver disease, 24 with nonalcoholic liver disease and 12 normal controls was measured. The enhanced hepatic GGT activity was higher in alcoholic patients and nonalcoholic patients than in the normal controls. No statistical significance of difference could be found in hepatic GGT activity between alcoholic and nonalcoholic patients, while serum GGT activity was markedly elevated in alcoholic patients compared to nonalcoholic patients. There was better correlation between hepatic and serum GGT activity in alcoholic patients. Furthermore the enhanced hepatic GGT activity could contribute to the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis as a result of the investigation for hepatic GGT activity and histological liver fibrosis.