Normal serum aminotransferase concentration and risk of mortality from liver diseases: prospective cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relation between the normal range of serum aminotransferase concentration and mortality from liver disease.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
Korea Medical Insurance Corporation study with eight years' follow up.


METHODS
94,533 men and 47,522 women aged 35-59 years.


METHODS
Mortality from liver diseases according to death certificate.


RESULTS
There was a positive association between the aminotransferase concentration, even within normal range (35-40 IU/l), and mortality from liver disease. Compared with the concentration < 20 IU/l, the adjusted relative risks for an aspartate aminotransferase concentration of 20-29 IU/l and 30-39 IU/l were 2.5 (95% confidence interval 2.0 to 3.0) and 8.0 (6.6 to 9.8) in men and 3.3 (1.7 to 6.4) and 18.2 (8.1 to 40.4) in women, respectively, The corresponding risks for alanine aminotransferase were 2.9 (2.4 to 3.5) and 9.5 (7.9 to 11.5) in men and 3.8 (1.9 to 7.7) and 6.6 (1.5 to 25.6) in women, respectively. According to receiver operating characteristic curves the best cut-off values for the prediction of liver disease in men were 31 IU/l for aspartate aminotransferase and 30 IU/l for alanine aminotransferase.


CONCLUSIONS
People with slightly increased aminotransferase activity, but still within the normal range, should be closely observed and further investigated for liver diseases.
Kim
Hyeon Chang
HC
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul 120-752, Republic of Korea.
Nam
Chung Mo
CM
Jee
Sun Ha
SH
Han
Kwang Hyub
KH
Oh
Dae Kyu
DK
Suh
Il
I
D000328:Adult; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D017678:Sex Distribution; D000637:Transaminases / Q000097:blood*
D000637:Transaminases