OBJECTIVETo explore the change of serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and its diagnosis value in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with different degrees of liver damage.

METHODSAlanine-aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate-aminotransferase (AST) and GGT were measured in 221 CHB patients. Liver biopsy was conducted simultaneously to determine the inflammation grade and fibrosis stage of the liver tissues.

RESULTSThe rate of normal GGT in pathologically diagnosed mild and severe CHB patients was 90.4% and 12.3%, respectively (P<0.01). Increased level of GGT was parallel to the degree of liver pathological change (P<0.01). In active CHB patients, GGT rose with the ALT increase with a positive linear correlation between them (r=0.464, P<0.001). In pathologically diagnosed mild CHB patients, GGT had a tendency of rapidly declining to normal levels with ALT. In moderate CHB patients, GGT fluctuated at a relatively high level, and in severe CHB patients GGT exhibited a deviation from GGT.

CONCLUSIONSGGT is conducive to improve the coincident rate between the clinical and pathological diagnosis of CHB.

Adult ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; diagnosis ; enzymology ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Severity of Illness Index ; Time Factors ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; blood