ALP is another type of liver enzyme. It's often used to help diagnose bone disorders as well as liver disease. A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle.
After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes. There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.
If your results show higher than normal levels of GGT, it may be a sign of liver damage. The damage may be due to one of the following conditions:. The results can't show which condition you have, but it can help show how much liver damage you have. Usually, the higher the level of GGT, the greater the level of damage to the liver. If your results show you have low or normal levels of GGT, it means you probably don't have liver disease.
Your results may also be compared with the results of an ALP test. ALP tests help diagnose bone disorders. Together your results may show one of the following:. Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results. It is highest in cases of intra- or posthepatic biliary obstruction, reaching levels some 5 to 30 times normal.
GGT is more sensitive than alkaline phosphatase ALP , leucine aminopeptidase, aspartate transaminase, and alanine aminotransferase in detecting obstructive jaundice, cholangitis, and cholecystitis; its rise occurs earlier than with these other enzymes and persists longer. Only modest elevations times normal occur in infectious hepatitis, and in this condition, GGT determinations are less useful diagnostically than are measurements of the transaminases.
High elevations of GGT are also observed in patients with either primary or secondary metastatic neoplasms. Elevated levels of GGT are noted not only in the sera of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis but also in the majority of sera from persons who are heavy drinkers.
Studies have emphasized the value of serum GGT levels in detecting alcohol-induced liver disease. Elevated serum values are also seen in patients receiving drugs such as phenytoin and phenobarbital, and this is thought to reflect induction of new enzyme activity.
Normal values are observed in various muscle diseases and in renal failure. Normal values are also seen in cases of skeletal disease, children older than 1 year, and in healthy pregnant women-conditions in which ALP is elevated. An elevation of gamma-glutamyltransferase GGT activity is seen in any and all forms of liver disease, although the highest elevations are seen in intra- or posthepatic biliary obstruction. GGT levels are usually the first to rise when a person has a bile duct obstruction, making this the most sensitive liver enzyme test for detecting problems with the bile duct.
The GGT test is also part of a series of tests known as a liver panel, which checks the levels of other liver enzymes, such as alanine aminotransferase ALT , aspartate aminotransferase AST , alkaline phosphatase ALP , and bilirubin.
Bone disease and liver or bile duct disease can lead to elevated ALP levels. Having a GGT test can distinguish between the two: a normal GGT level likely indicates a bone issue, while a high GGT level may signal a problem with the liver or bile ducts. GGT levels tend to be higher in people who regularly drink heavily compared with people who drink in moderation or only drink heavily on occasion.
Because of this, a doctor may measure GGT levels to test for acute or chronic alcohol abuse. Doctors may use the test to monitor alcohol use in someone who is receiving treatment for alcohol abuse disorder or hepatitis due to chronic alcohol use.
During the test, the healthcare professional will tie a band around the upper arm, clean the inner elbow thoroughly with an alcohol pad, and insert a small needle into the skin.
They will collect a small tube of blood. After the test, they will remove the needle and band and will apply pressure to the site to make sure any bleeding stops. As with any other blood test, the blood draw may cause minor, temporary discomfort, which will pass quickly.
The healthcare professional will label the sample and send it to a lab for testing. The lab should produce the results within a day or two, though it may take a little longer for the doctor to receive and interpret the results. Having a blood draw is a very safe procedure. Some people get some bruising at the needle insertion site after the test. It is also normal to be a little sore for a short time after the test. Occasionally, a person may feel faint or anxious during the test, causing them to black out or faint.
Though this can be frightening, it does not indicate a serious reaction. This test helps a doctor diagnose liver damage. There are many potential causes for elevated GGT levels.
It is essential to follow up with the doctor as instructed to determine the cause of the result, and discuss treatment options if needed. An alanine aminotransferase ALT test helps doctors diagnose problems with the liver, such as hepatitis or liver disease.
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