Frequent Occurrence of High Gamma-glutamyl Transferase and Alanine Amino Transferase Among Nigerian Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Liver function tests (LFTs) are commonly deranged in diabetic patients. There is, however, paucity of local data on actual prevalence and pattern of LFTs abnormality among diabetic patients. A case-control study was carried out to study the pattern of LFTs abnormality among patients with type 2 diabetes (DM). Ninety consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes attending Medical Outpatient Clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, and 90 nondiabetic controls with comparable age and sex were recruited into the study. Serum albumin, alanine amino transferase (ALT) and Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) were tested in all subjects. Data were analyzed using Student's t-test, chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U. Among the diabetic patients, 70% had at least one deranged LFTs. The ALT and GGT values were significantly higher (52.9 IU/L and 24.3 U/L respectively) in the diabetic group compared to the controls (34.4 IU/L and 9.2 U/L respectively). Also, the most predominant LFT abnormality in diabetic group was isolated elevation of GGT. This study has confirmed the reported common derangement of LFTs in patients with type 2 DM. In addition, isolated elevation of GGT and ALT are common in Nigerian type 2 diabetic patients. There is need for further study to determine the significance of high GGT and ALT in Nigerian type 2 diabetic population.