Serum isocitrate dehydrogenase in obstructive jaundice

Enzymes in the Diagnosis of Myocardial Infarction and Liver Disease

“…Unfortunately, serum levels are raised in so many forms of liver disease that the test is of little advantage in distinguishing between them, and it is frequently normal in cirrhotics with normal aminotransferase activities (Goldberg et al, 1966). These disadvantages also apply to isocitrate dehydrogenase (Watts, 1966;Goldberg et al, 1966) despite earlier reports that its activity in serum is usually normal in hepatobiliary obstruction but almost invariably raised in parenchymal disease of the liver (Bell, Shaldon, and Baron, 1962). However, it is much more specific for liver disease than the aminotransferases and is somewhat more sensitive in detecting acute hepatic damage, especially that due to drugs (Watts and Griffiths, 1964), alcohol (Goldberg and Watts, 1965), and infectious mononucleosis (Dunnet, 1963).…”