Serum glutamate dehydrogenase is not a reliable marker of liver cell necrosis in alcoholics.

Serum glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.3.) activity was measured in 73 hospital patients who had a history of chronic alcohol abuse and who all had a liver biopsy performed. High levels of serum GDH activity occurred in those patients with recent excess alcohol consumption independently of the underlying liver histology, and did not discriminate between those patients with and those without alcoholic hepatitis.