title: A combination of raised serum AST:ALT ratio and erythrocyte mean cell volume level detects excessive alcohol consumption.
abstract: The usefulness of the serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST): serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio as a guide to the presence of alcoholism was evaluated in four groups of patients. In alcoholics with elevated transaminases the mean AST:ALT ratio was found to be 1.50 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.49-1.51), in hepatitis B infection 0.51 (95% CI: 0.50-0.52), in liver cancer 1.25 (95% CI: 1.20-1.29), and in nonmalignant obstructive jaundice 0.59 (95% CI: 0.57-0.61). In alcoholics with normal transaminases the AST:ALT ratio was 1.64 (95% CI: 1.61-1.67). The combination of an AST:ALT ratio of greater than 1.00 with an erythrocyte mean cell volume (MCV) above 90.0 fL resulted in a sensitivity of 97.3% and a specificity of 88.9% for detecting alcoholism in these four groups of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Wellington School of Medicine.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kawachi
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Stace
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase