The SGOT/SGPT ratio in alcoholic liver disease.

SUMMARY The SGOT/SGPT ratio has been estimated in 207 patients with alcoholic liver disease and in 3 control groups (43 viral hepatitis, 30 non-alcoholic chronic liver disease and 42 obstructive jaundice). The SGOT/SGTP ratio in alcoholic liver disease group was significantly higher (2.6 3 '± 1.82) than in any of the 3 control groups. If we consider the different alcoholic liver diseases the ratio is 1. AAH. Values higher than 1.5 are suggestive of alcoholic liver disease and higher than 2.0 are almost diagnostic and found in 56% of the patients with aicoholic liver disease and only in 1 case of non-alcoholic liver disease. Since aicohol abuse is one of the most common causes of hepatoceliular diséases, a simple biochemicai test characteristic of alcohoiic liver disease wouid be very helpful as a screening procedure. Values of SGOT higher than SGPT have been frequently reported 1-3 but oniy recentiy Cohen and Kapian proposed the use of the SGOT/SGPT ratio higher than 2 as highiy suggestive of aicohoiic hepatitis or cirrhosis. We studied a iarge group of aicoholics and divided them according to liver histoiogy in order to determine the diagnostic usefulness of the SGOT/SGPT ratio PATIENTS AND METHODS Over a period of 5 years, aicohoiic liver disease was diagnosed in 207 patients admitted to our department. There were 161 men and 46 women~ ranging from 10 to 82 years of age (mean 49.36 ± 11.71 yr.). We reviewed their records and evaluated the SGOT/SGPT ratio. The results were compared with those obtained in 3 control groups: 43 patients with vital hepatitis, 30 with non-aicoholic chronic liver disease and 42 with obstructive jaundice (ali proved extrahepatic maiignant obstruction without liver metastases). Ali patients had been submifted to percutaneous liver biopsy (with the exception of 13 patients in the vital hepatitis group), and the slides were reviewed blindiy by the pathologist. Alcohoiics were divided in 5 groups according to the morphological features: 1) steatosis, 30; 2) acute aicohoiic hepatitis (AAH), 32; 3) cirrhosis, 71; 4) cirrhosis with steatosis, 29 and 5) cirrhosis with acute aicoholic hepatitis, 45. SGOT/SGPT ratio was determined on the basis cÁ the transaminases measure ments in the first blood sarnple after admission, expressed in Karmen Units. Statisticai analysis was carried out by analysis of variance: method of multi~le comparisons of Schéffé (5) and X2 analysis. Values are expressed as mean ~ 1 SD.