chedley@inteloc.intel.com (CHEDLEY) (02/04/89)
Could anyone explain the meaning of the following liver blood tests:
SGOT, SGPT, and GGTP.
In particular, what's considered a "normal" range? and what are the medical
or health implications of an abnormally high or low test results?
Thanks,..
Please E-mail, and I'll summarize to the net if there is enough interest.
..CHEDLEY..
BiiN Corp., Hillsboro, OR
Tel. 503-696-4705
...{att!verdix, ogccse, uunet!tektronix, uoregon!omepd}!inteloa!chedleysean@cadre.dsl.PITTSBURGH.EDU (Sean McLinden) (02/05/89)
In article <4104@omepd.UUCP> chedley@inteloc.UUCP (CHEDLEY) writes: >Could anyone explain the meaning of the following liver blood tests: >SGOT, SGPT, and GGTP. >In particular, what's considered a "normal" range? and what are the medical >or health implications of an abnormally high or low test results? SGOT (glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, also called aspartate amino- transferase or AST), and SGPT glutamic pyruvic transaminase also called alanine aminotransferase or ALT), are intracellular enzymes. SGOT is found in a number of tissues including muscle and liver; SGPT is, primarily, a test of liver function. Elevation of BOTH of these suggests an inflammatory disease of the liver known as a hepatitis. Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) is also found in many tissues but in conjunction with the other two is an indicator of liver disease. In general, elevations in GGTP reflect acute injury to the liver of a toxic nature (alcohol, chemical hepatitis) and in obstruction of the biliary system. In these cases the other enzymes may or may not be elevated. SGOT and SGPT are usually elevated in states of hepatocellular injury (injury to the liver cells), the highest levels are associated with hepatitis of a viral origin. It is not uncommon to see all three ordered as a panel for an evaluation of liver function or in order to monitor the effects of certain drugs (like anticonvulsants), which can cause chemical hepatitis. In general, the normals for SGOT and SGPT are less than 40 and the GGTP is less than 100 but these vary with the lab technique and your cohort patient group (from which the "normal" values are obtained.) Sean McLinden Decision Systems Laboratory University of Pittsburgh