Serum ferritin in acute viral hepatitis.

Serum ferritin and biochemical liver tests (serum bilirubin, serum aspartate transaminase, serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT), and serum alkaline phosphatase) were recorded at regular intervals from admission to recovery in six patients with acute viral hepatitis. There was a proportional, significant decrease in ferritin bilirubin, and transaminase were reached simultaneously, whereas gamma-GT and alkaline phosphatase remained elevated for a slightly longer time. The correlations between corresponding measurements of ferritin and biochemical liver tests were as follows: ferritin and alkaline phosphatase, r = 0.72, P less than 0.001; ferritin and bilirubin, r = 0.68, P less than 0.001; ferritin and transaminase, r = 0.53, P less than 0.001; ferritin and gamma-GT. r = 0.50, P less than 0.001. In viral hepatitis serum ferritin offers no diagnostic advantage compared with already established tests for hepatocellular damage.