Increased glutamyl transferase

The protein enzyme glutamyl transferase exists in every part of our body, mainly in the kidneys. It plays a big role in our detoxification. When we have the problem of increased glutamyl transferase, it may be caused by excessive drinking or hepatitis recently. You should pay attention to it. The phenomenon of elevated glutamyl transferase for a long time is very bad. It is recommended that you should be careful not to drink excessively and smoke in your life.

γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) is widely distributed in human tissues, with the highest concentration in the kidney, followed by the pancreas and liver. During the embryonic period, it is most abundant in the liver. In the liver, it is mainly distributed in the hepatocyte cytoplasm and intrahepatic bile duct epithelium. γ-GT in normal human serum mainly comes from the liver. The normal value is 3~50μ/L (γ-glutamyl para-nitramine method). This enzyme is only slightly or moderately elevated in acute hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis and decompensated cirrhosis. However, in obstructive jaundice, this enzyme flows back into the blood due to excretion disorder. In primary liver cancer, the synthesis of this enzyme in the liver is hyperactive, both of which can cause a significant increase in blood transpeptidase, even to more than 10 times the normal level. ν-GT is also significantly elevated in alcoholics, which helps in the diagnosis of alcoholic liver disease. In acute hepatitis, ν-GT drops to normal later than transaminase. If ν-GT continues to rise, it indicates a transition to chronic liver disease.

Reasons for high

1. Viral hepatitis: In acute hepatitis, glutamyl transferase is moderately elevated; in the inactive phase of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis, glutamyl transferase is normal. If glutamyl transferase continues to increase, it indicates that the condition is worsening;

2. Alcoholic and drug-induced hepatitis: Glutamyl transferase is generally between 300 and 1000 U/L. After alcoholics quit drinking, glutamyl transferase will decrease.

3. Biliary obstructive diseases can also cause elevated glutamyl transferase. Intrahepatic obstruction can induce liver cells to produce large amounts of glutamyl transferase, which may even reach more than 10 times the upper limit of the reference value.

4. Fatty liver, pancreatitis, pancreatic tumors, prostate tumors, etc. can also cause a slight increase in glutamyl transferase; 5. Excessive consumption of high-protein supplements can also increase the burden on the liver and lead to an increase in glutamyl transferase.

harm

1. Indication of viral hepatitis: In acute viral hepatitis, the hepatocytes adjacent to the necrotic area have hypersynthesis of hepatic enzymes, causing elevated serum glutamyl transpeptidase. In chronic active hepatitis, the glutamyl transpeptidase test value is often 1 to 2 times higher than the normal value of glutamyl transpeptidase. If it is elevated for a long time, there may be a tendency to liver necrosis.

2. Indication of hepatobiliary disease: When the intrahepatic or extrahepatic bile duct is obstructed, the excretion of glutamyl transpeptidase is blocked and refluxes into the blood with bile, resulting in high serum glutamyl transpeptidase.

3. Predicts fatty liver: Glutamyl transpeptidase is often elevated in patients with fatty liver, but in general, serum glutamyl transpeptidase activity in nutritional fatty liver is usually no more than twice the normal value.

4. Predicts alcoholic liver disease: Glutamyl transpeptidase levels are almost always elevated in patients with alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis, becoming an important feature of alcoholic liver disease.

5. Predicting liver cirrhosis: Changes in serum glutamyl transpeptidase during liver cirrhosis depend on whether the intrahepatic lesions are active and their causes. It is usually normal during the inactive phase, but tends to increase if accompanied by inflammation and progressive fibrosis. Primary or secondary biliary cirrhosis often has elevated glutamyl transpeptidase in the early stages. Some people believe that glutamyl transpeptidase increases in the early stages of cirrhosis, but is very low in severe patients, especially in late-stage cases. This may be due to the loss of the ability of hepatocytes to synthesize glutamyl transpeptidase. Therefore, it is believed that if glutamyl transpeptidase is high in patients with cirrhosis, it indicates that the disease is still in the early stages.