Some authors have suggested that carbohydrates can induce hepatic microsomal
enzymes, resulting in increased serum γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) in diabetes mellitus. Previously
we demonstrated the lack of serum GGT increases in patients with acute diabetic
crises. In this work we studied serum GGT activity, blood glucose levels and glycosylated
hemoglobin levels (HB A(1)) in 35 patients with diabetes mellitus and 27 healthy volunteers.
We did not see differences in the serum GGT activity among controlled (25.05 ± 2.72 U/l) and
uncontrolled (26.44 ± 4.05 U/l) diabetics and the control group (22.51 ± 2.95 U/l). Also, there
was no significant correlation between serum GGT and HB A(1) levels in diabetic patients (r =
0.279). We think that our observations may be relevant because they support the hypothesis
that hyperglycemia does not act as an enzyme-inducing agent in chronically uncontrolled
diabetics and, furthermore, they indicate that in the presence of abnormal serum GGT levels
in diabetics it is necessary to investigate other associated diseases.
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