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Causes of elevated glutamate dehydrogenase in blood
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
In viral hepatitis, the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase increases in the blood during the first day of the icteric period. The degree of its increase depends on the severity of viral hepatitis, with particularly high levels observed in the development of liver failure.
High activity of glutamate dehydrogenase is observed in patients with primary and metastatic liver cancer. In the case of exacerbation of chronic persistent hepatitis, the increase in glutamate dehydrogenase activity is either absent or insignificant. In the case of severe exacerbation of liver cirrhosis, the increase in glutamate dehydrogenase activity can be significant, and high enzyme activity is considered an unfavorable sign.
A sharp increase in glutamate dehydrogenase activity is observed in acute obstruction of the common bile duct. Alcohol intoxication is also accompanied by a significant increase in glutamate dehydrogenase activity in the blood.
The reasons for increased activity of glutamate dehydrogenase and GGTP are in many ways similar, but there are also differences: high activity of glutamate dehydrogenase is observed in acute liver damage, and GGTP - in long-term pathological processes in it.