The SGOT/SGPT ratio--an indicator of alcoholic liver disease.

The SGOT/SGPT ratio is significantly elevated in patients with alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis (2.85 +/- 0.2) compared with patients with postnecrotic cirrhosis (1.74 +/- 0.2), chronic hepatitis (1.3 +/- 0.17), obstructive jaundice (0.81 +/- 0.06) and viral hepatitis (0.74 +/- 0.07). An SGOT/SGPT ratio greater than 2 is highly suggestive of alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. It occurs in 70% of these patients compared with 26% of patients with postnecrotic cirrhosis, 8% with chronic hepatitis, 4% with viral hepatitis and none with obstructive jaundice.