[Activity of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase in chronic alcoholic liver disease]

Serum N-acetyl-B-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity was determined in a control group of 76 normal people and in 23 patients with hepatic cirrhosis: 15 non-compensated patients and 8 with compensated chronic liver fibrosis. NAG is significantly increased in the non-compensated group--mean value of 931.67 units vs 637.71 units for the controls (p less than 0.001). There is no significant elevation regarding the compensated group. No significant correlations were observed between NAG activity and hepatic functional tests. In the follow-up of the non-compensated group, NAG activity returned to normal with the clinical improvement; in 7 cases where this goal was not achieved there was elevation of NAG activity, with higher values in photo-systemic encephalopathy.