Urinary excretion of enzymes in cirrhotics with renal failure

• Published in: Journal of hepatology Vol. 3; no. 1; pp. 123 - 130
• Main Authors: Solis-Herruzo, J.A., Garcia-Cabezudo, J., Diaz-Rubio, C., Gómez-Segura, A., Estenoz, J., Castellano, G., Mun̄oz-Yagüe, M.T., Morillas, J.D., Schüller, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 1986; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acute Kidney Injury - etiology; Acute Kidney Injury - urine; Adult; Alkaline Phosphatase - urine; Biological and medical sciences; Female; gamma-Glutamyltransferase - urine; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Glucuronidase - urine; Humans; Leucyl Aminopeptidase - urine; Liver Cirrhosis - complications; Liver Cirrhosis - urine; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Other diseases. Semiology; Human; Urine; Cirrhosis; Excretion; Urinary system disease; Enzymatic activity; Liver; Renal failure; Digestive diseases
• ISSN: 0168-8278; 1600-0641
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-8278(86)80156-8

We studied the significance of urinary enzyme measurements in diagnosing proximal tubular damage in cirrhosis of the liver. Urinary excretion (u-enzyme) and fractional urinary excretion (FE enzyme) of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), leucineaminopeptidase (LAP), alkaline phosphatase (AP) and beta-glucuronidase (B-GLU) were quantified in 14 control subjects (group I), 12 cirrhotics with functional renal failure (group II), 13 cirrhotics with renal tubular damage (group III) and 7 non-liver patients with renal tubular damage (group IV). Urinary enzyme excretion and fractional enzyme excretion were significantly higher in the cirrhotics of group III than in the controls or group II. In group III, these tests usually reached values within the range of group IV. The sensitivity of urinary enzyme excretion was 0.92 and specificity ranged from 0.75 (u-LAP) to 1 (u-GGT; u-B-GLU). The sensitivity of fractional enzyme excretion was between 0.61 (FE B-GLU) and 0.84 (FE GGT; FE LAP), while specificity was from 0.91 (FE LAP; FE AP) to 1 (FE GGT; FE B-GLU). The results indicate that measurement of urinary enzymes may be very useful in diagnosing renal tubular damage in cirrhotic patients with impaired renal function.