Diagnostic Usefulness of Liver Function Tests in Alcohol and Opioid Dependent Patients

Abstract

This study re-evaluated the diagnostic usefulness of conventional liver function tests in clinic population of alcohol and opioid dependent subjects. A total of 934 blood samples of opioid and alcohol dependent patients seeking treatment at National Drug Dependence Treatment Center, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India were screened for blood serum enzymes of liver function origin during the period of December 2001 and December 2002. Out of the total samples, 507 pertained to opioid dependent subjects and 427 pertained to alcohol dependent subjects. A significant number of opioid dependent patients as well as alcohol dependent patients showed elevated liver enzymes. Greater number of younger opioid dependent patients had elevation of liver enzymes as compared with older patients. These findings suggest that in a primary care setting conventional LFT's are of limited value in assessing opioid addicts as compared with alcohol dependent patients. More sensitive tests should be available to assess the hepatic function in opioid dependent subjects.