The Discriminatory Ability of a Galactose Tolerance Test and Some Other Tests in the Diagnosis of Cirrhosis of the Liver, Hepatitis and Biliary Obstruction

Abstract

The discriminatory ability of five laboratory tests, and that of a linear combination of them, with respect to different liver diseases, was studied in a graphic representation of the percentage of misclassified patients for varying parameter values. Galactose tolerance was the best individual discriminator between cirrhosis and non-cirrhosis. The same, and alkaline phosphatases were most effective in the differentiation of jaundice. The parameter formed by combining these tests and bilirubin, thymol turbidity and GPT, markedly improved the accuracy of the laboratory diagnosis.

Key Words:

• Alkaline phosphatase
• bilirubin
• differential diagnosis
• galactose
• jaundice
• laboratory diagnosis
• liver cirrhosis
• liver function tests