GGTP, Triglycerides Above Normal and HDL Below Normal

[John-R-Wiliams]

Posted by John R. Williams on May 09, 1999 at 23:29:49
I had a blood test done at an insurance physical and was told that I may have a problem.  The results were as follows:
GGTP           286     Range(8-69)
Triglycerides  169     Range(30-150)
HDL             32     Range(35-70)
I was told this points to a liver associated problem, although other entries appear O.K.:
SGPT            40     Range(12-45)
SGOT            31     Range(7-40)
LDH            165     Range(94-172)
Cholesterol    173     Range(120-200)
What additional tests should I ask to be performed to insure that I do not have a liver disease?  I do seem to be more tired than I used to be, but I have been healthly my whole life.
Any help on this, would be appreciated.

Posted by HFHSM.D.-D.M. on May 21, 1999 at 17:48:20

Dear John R. Williams:
I appreciate your question.  You had a bunch of lab tests done and you want to know the significance of an isolated elevated GGTP.
The GGTP is an enzyme or protein make by cells lining the bile duct.  It is very sensitive to any inflammation in the liver and it can go up due to a large variety of conditions.  The possible causes of an elevated GGTP is so long that it really makes little sense to go through the whole list.  What we typically do in Hepatology is to look for common causes first and to consider more unusual causes later.  Typical things that we might do early on are to repeat the GGTP.  We will look for and eliminate medication that might cause the liver to become inflamed.  Alcohol can cause the GGTP to go up and you might want to figure out if you had some before the bloodwork was done.  You’ll certainly want to avoid before repeating the GGTP.
We’ll often do test for hepatitis C and hepatitis B because they are relatively common causes of elevated liver enzymes and we’ll frequently get an abdominal ultrasound to look for structural problems in the liver including gallstones.  If all these tests are negative and the GGTP remain elevated, we might do additional blood tests to look for other causes.  
In mentioning your triglycerides and HDL, you may be eluding to a condition called steatohepatitis or "fatty liver' in which fat deposits in the liver.  This condition is a possibility.  It usually runs a benign course but short of a liver biopsy, it is a diagnosis that is considered when other common problems are excluded first.
Good luck with your situation.  If you have additional questions or more information, feel free to post the material back to MEDHELP.  The direct number to our Liver Clinic at Henry Ford at [phone]. We have an active group of liver specialists.  
This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation.  Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.  

[johnbernal]

A related discussion, elevated cpk was started.