Why would ggt be elevated

Heiduk M, Page I, Kliem C, et al: Pediatric reference intervals determined in ambulatory and hospitalized children and juveniles. Clin Chim Acta Skip to main content. Register Sign In. Test Catalog Account. Outreach Solutions Tactics Articles Events. Utilization Management Algorithms. Test Catalog. Download Test.

Useful For Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful Diagnosing and monitoring hepatobiliary disease, it is currently the most sensitive enzymatic indicator of liver disease Ascertaining whether observed elevations of alkaline phosphatase are due to skeletal disease normal gamma-glutamyltransferase: GGT or reflect the presence of hepatobiliary disease elevated GGT A screening test for occult alcoholism.

Bile ducts are tubes that carry bile in and out of the liver. Bile is a fluid made by the liver. It is important for digestion. A GGT test can't diagnose the specific cause of liver disease. So it is usually done along with or after other liver function tests , most often an alkaline phosphatase ALP test. 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. Dark urine is a deeper color than the usual straw to yellow color. The darker your urine is, the more concentrated it can be. Dark urine is usually…. Itchy skin is an irritating and uncontrollable sensation that makes you want to scratch for relief.

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