Marker Of Alcoholic Liver Disease Research Articles

THU046 - The lysosomal enzyme cathepsin D as a new marker for alcoholic liver disease

THU046 - The lysosomal enzyme cathepsin D as a new marker for alcoholic liver disease

Rasio AST/ALT pada Laki-Laki Pengkonsumsi Alkohol di Jalan Mendawai Kota Palangka Raya

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) are enzymes predominantly found in hepatocytes, the increased activity in the serum shows liver damage. The AST / ALT ratio is used as a marker for alcoholic liver disease. This study aims to determine the effects of long-term alcohol consumption on the risk of alcoholic liver disease. This study was a descriptive study, involving 20 alcoholic drinkers aged 25-45 years, had consumed alcohol> 5 years and consumed alcohol every day. Our results showed a significant increase (p <0.05) in AST and ALT values based on age group, duration of consumption and dose. While the ratio of AST / ALT, a significant increase was found in the age group and period. In alcohol drinkers, the AST value is higher than ALT. The AST / ALT ratio for heavy drinkers is 1.64. Conclusion: Alcohol-consuming subjects in our study, especially heavy drinkers, were suspected of having a risk of alcoholic liver disease because most had an AST / ALT ratio > 1,5.

A study on changes in serum GGT and magnesium level in alcoholic liver disease

Aims: A study on changes in Serum GGT and Magnesium level in Alcoholic Liver Disease. Material and Methods: Serum GGT and Serum Mg++ were estimated with the help of commercially available kit in patients of Alcoholic Liver Disease (n=50) and Normal Individuals (n=50) on fully automated biochemistry analyzer Erba XL-640. Results: Serum GGT level was found significantly higher (P< 0.01) in Alcoholic patients as compared to healthy non-alcoholics. Moreover Serum Mg++ was found significantly lower (P< 0.01) in Alcoholic Liver Disease as compare to normal Individuals. In addition to that there is significant inverse correlation (r= - 0.553) between serum GGT and Mg++ in study group. Conclusions: None of the individual tests of conventional liver function tests are of much importance in diagnosis of liver disease; however when many of the liver function tests are abnormal at the same time, liver disease is the most probable diagnosis. Data of the present study clearly conclude that serum GGT activity along with serum Mg++ status can be useful marker for alcoholic liver disease.

Evaluation of the oxidative stress in chronic alcoholics.

The present study was conducted to assess the activity of Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) and its association with oxidative stress in alcoholics. Sixty male alcoholics with a history of alcohol abuse for more than five years were the subjects of this study. Twenty healthy male volunteers who matched in age and the socio-economic status, served as the control subjects. GGT, reduced glutathione (GSH, a key intra-cellular antioxidant) and malondialdehyde (MDA, a marker of the oxidative stress) were assayed in the plasma of the two groups, and the results were statistically analyzed. The activity of the plasma GGT, known as a marker of Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD); was significantly higher in the alcoholics as compared to that in the healthy controls. There was a significant positive correlation between the enzyme activity and the plasma levels of MDA and this indicated that there was an increased release of this enzyme with enhanced oxidative damage, due to the generation of oxygen free radicals in the study group. There was a significantly increased level of MDA and a decrease in the level of GSH in the alcoholics as compared to those in the controls. Significant negative correlations between GGT and GSH, and between MDA and GSH were observed. The present study demonstrates that alcoholics have a compromised antioxidant defense system.

Microheterogeneity with Concanavalin A Affinity of Serum Transferrin in Patients with Alcoholic Liver Disease

Microheterogeneity of transferrin (Tf) with concanavalin A (ConA) affinity was investigated by sensitive lectin-affinity electrophoresis and antibody-affinity blotting technique of sera obtained from patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and normal subjects. Serum Tf was separated by ConA into three bands-a strongly ConA-reactive major band (C1), a weakly reactive minor band (C2), and a non-reactive trace band (C3). The C3 fraction was significantly increased in patients with ALD before alcohol abstinence, compared with normal subjects and patients with ALD after 4 weeks of abstinence. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between the C3 fraction and serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin or gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase. These results indicate that the microheterogeneity of serum Tf in patients with ALD may be a more complex abnormality of elongation and processing on the glycans than merely a loss of terminal sialic acids. Determination of the C3 fraction is a useful marker for ALD.

Microheterogeneity with Concanavalin A Affinity of Serum Transferrin in Patients with Alcoholic Liver Disease

Microheterogeneity of transferrin (Tf) with concanavalin A (ConA) affinity was investigated by sensitive lectin-affinity electrophoresis and antibody-affinity blotting technique of sera obtained from patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and normal subjects. Serum Tf was separated by ConA into three bands–a strongly ConA-reac-tive major band (C1), a weakly reactive minor band (C2), and a non-reactive trace band (C3). The C3 fraction was significantly increased in patients with ALD before alcohol abstinence, compared with normal subjects and patients with ALD after 4 weeks of abstinence. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between the C3 fraction and serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin or γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase. These results indicate that the microheterogeneity of serum Tf in patients with ALD may be a more complex abnormality of elongation and processing on the glycans than merely a loss of terminal sialic acids. Determination of the C3 fraction is a useful marker for ALD.

Microheterogeneity of Serum Glycoproteins in Alcoholics: Is Desialo‐transferrin the Marker of Chronic Alcohol Drinking or Alcoholic Liver Injury?

The appearance of desialo-transferrin (De-TF) in serum has been reported to be a biochemical marker of chronic alcoholism. However, conclusive evidence of whether De-TF is a marker for chronic alcohol drinking or for alcoholic liver disease (ALD) has not yet been obtained. Glycoproteins can be divided into two groups, a transferrin (TF) group and an alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (A1-AG) group, based on the characteristics of microheterogeneity (M-HTG) of each protein. In the present study, the appearance of M-HTG in serum TF and A1-AG in alcohol drinkers was compared. In 96 patients with ALD, M-HTG of TF was found in 66 patients (68.8%), and M-HTG of A1-AG was found in 61 patients (63.5%). In 20 patients with alcoholic pancreatitis, the detection rate of M-HTG of A1-AG was significantly higher than that of TF. In six patients with pancreatitis but not liver disease, M-HTG of TF was not detected. In 14 alcoholics without liver or pancreas disease, M-HTG of TF was not detected, whereas M-HTG of A1-AG was detected in 6 cases--a significant difference. The amount of alcohol consumed was not different in patients with and without liver disease. In non-ALD, M-HTG of both proteins was detected only in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis. The detection rate of M-HTG in TF was significantly higher than in A1-AG. These results suggest that M-HTG of serum TF is a marker of ALD and that of serum A1-AG is a marker of chronic alcohol drinking.

Abnormally fucosylated haptoglobin as a marker for alcoholic liver disease but not excessive alcohol consumption or non-alcoholic liver disease

Abnormally fucosylated haptoglobin as a marker for alcoholic liver disease but not excessive alcohol consumption or non-alcoholic liver disease

Urinary Level of L‐Fucose as a Marker of Alcoholic Liver Disease

The urinary levels of L-fucose were measured in 93 alcoholics; 20 of these were without liver disease, 57 with noncirrhotic alcoholic liver disease, and 16 with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. In addition, patients with cirrhosis due to viral infection, and healthy subjects were evaluated. The mean urinary L-fucose concentration showed significantly higher values in patients with alcoholic liver disease and alcoholic liver cirrhosis when compared with the healthy subjects or the chronic alcoholics without liver disease (p < 0.001). The urinary L-fucose level was also significantly higher (p < 0.001) in cases of alcoholic liver cirrhosis than in noncirrhotic alcoholic liver disease (384 +/- 97 vs. 240 +/- 95 mumol/g of creatinine). No difference was observed between the healthy subjects and chronic alcoholics without liver disease (143 +/- 29 vs. 155 +/- 60 mumol/g of creatinine). The urinary level of L-fucose was significantly higher with alcoholic cirrhosis (384 +/- 97 mumol/g of creatinine) than with viral cirrhosis (265 +/- 42 mumol/g of creatinine) (p < 0.001). The measurement of urinary L-fucose may be a useful marker of alcoholic liver disease.

Serum Level of Carbohydrate-Deficient Transferrin as a Marker of Alcoholic Liver Disease

Serum levels of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) were assayed in 87 patients with alcoholic liver disease, 25 alcoholics without liver disease, 25 cases with viral liver disease and 37 healthy subjects, by two different methods (Pharmacia CDT RIA kit and Axis % CDT kit). The serum level of Pharmacia-CDT was significantly higher in the patients with alcoholic liver disease (38.9 +/- 2.8 U/l) compared to the normal subjects (18.9 +/- 0.2 U/l), alcoholics without liver disease (21.7 +/- 1.5 U/l) and non-alcoholic liver disease (viral liver disease) (23.4 +/- 1.6 U/l) (P < 0.001). The serum level of Axis-CDT was also significantly higher in the patients with alcoholic liver disease (4.22 +/- 0.48%) compared to the normal subjects (0.84 +/- 0.14%), alcoholics without liver disease (1.14 +/- 0.23%) and non-alcoholic liver disease (1.84 +/- 0.29%) (P < 0.001). A significant correlation was found between serum levels of CDT determined by the two kits (r = 0.718, P < 0.001). The serum level of Axis-CDT was significantly higher in patients with alcoholic hepatitis compared to the normal subjects (P < 0.005), while the serum level of Pharmacia-CDT was not increased in the patients with alcoholic hepatitis. These results indicate that determination of serum CDT levels is a useful marker of alcoholic liver disease, not a marker for alcohol consumption. Axis-CDT is more useful than Pharmacia-CDT for assaying the serum level of CDT in patients with alcoholic liver disease.

Breast cancer-associated antigen CA 15.3 in liver cirrhosis.

The tumor marker CA 15.3 was studied in 85 patients with liver cirrhosis. Nine patients (10.6%) had abnormal levels of CA 15.3 with the highest values in cases of Child's C patients. However, Child's classes were not significantly associated with the level of the antigen. We found significant correlations with some laboratory tests, especially IgA. All patients with an elevated CA 15.3 value also had abnormal levels of IgA, and multivariate analysis showed that IgA was the only independent factor associated with CA 15.3. Although IgA is a marker of alcoholic liver disease, other markers of alcoholism were not associated with CA 15.3. Cytolysis and cholestasis were not significantly associated with the CA 15.3 level, but liver dysfunction seemed to be involved. Liver disease does not substantially limit the usefulness of CA 15.3 in the cancer patient who also has liver cirrhosis, since both the percentage of abnormal values and the elevation of the serum levels are moderate in cirrhotic patients.