[The development of serum alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in early stages of primary biliary cirrhosis].

We carried out a retrospective study for the development of biochemical abnormalities in nine patients with early stages of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). All patients had elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTP) levels when the diagnosis of PBC was obtained. In all cases, serum gamma-GTP levels initially increased, followed by the elevation of ALP. In the routine laboratory tests gamma-GTP is more sensitive than ALP for the screening for early PBC.