SHOULD NEW PERSPECTIVES BE APPLIED TO THE PROGNOSIS EVALUATION OF LIVER DISEASES?
In westernized countries metabolic, alcoholic and chronic viral disease represent the major part of hepatic illnesses. The search for markers of alcohol abuse has been dynamic for the past years. Several laboratory abnormalities based on liver enzymes, metabolic substances, hormone levels and haematological characteristics have been observed to be associated with the problem of drinking. Due to its short half life, breath, urine or blood ethanol analyses provide scarce information about the entity of alcohol drinking, being an increased tolerance possibly identified. Blood or breath alcohol levels > 1.5% without great evidence of intoxication or > 3% at any time have been reported to be the first-level criterion of alcoholism. An elevated serum level of membrane-bound enzyme, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) has been widely used as a marker of alcohol abuse. The half life of elevated GGT is between two and three weeks. Unfortunately, the sensitivity of GGT in detecting alcohol abuse
