Clinical significance of activity of ALT enzyme in patients with hepatitis C virus.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in relation to the clinical, biochemical, ultrasonographic and histological characteristics of patients with hepatitis C virus.


METHODS
Duration of disease, HCV-RNA, liver steatosis, and the hepatitis activity index (HAI) were correlated with serum ALT in 36 patients with HCV. ALT values were also investigated in 16 control subjects without any liver diseases.


RESULTS
In bivariate analyses, ALT levels correlated with duration of HCV infection (P < 0.01), HCV-RNA (P < 0.05), and the HAI (P < 0.01). Among the components of the HAI, ALT concentrations were significantly associated with periportal bridging/necrosis (P < 0.01) and fibrosis (P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, periportal bridging/necrosis (beta = 0.508; P < 0.01), duration of HCV infection (beta = 0.413; P < 0.01), and HCV-RNA (beta = 0.253; P < 0.05) were independently associated with ALT activity. The normal ALT activity for men and women was < 23 IU/L and < 22 IU/L, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with HCV, alterations in the liver tissue as reflected by ALT elevation are mainly associated with periportal bridging/necrosis, viral load and duration of disease. A cut-off value < 23 IU/L distinguished with high diagnostic accuracy healthy controls from patients with HCV.
Akkaya
Onder
O
Department of Internal Medicine, Uludag University Medical School, Bursa, Turkey.
Kiyici
Murat
M
Yilmaz
Yusuf
Y
Ulukaya
Engin
E
Yerci
Omer
O
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000821:virology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014421:Turkey; D014463:Ultrasonography
D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase