Etiology of and risk factors for transient and persistent aminotransferase elevation in a population of virus-free blood donors: a multicentre study.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the etiology and risk factors for transient and persistently elevated aspartate and/or alanine aminotransferase levels in virus-free blood donors.


METHODS



METHODS
HBsAg/HBV-DNA and anti-HCV/HCV-RNA negative blood donors with elevated aspartate aminotransferase and/or alanine aminotransferase, observed in 5 blood transfusion centres in Italy from 2004 to 2005. Aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase levels were measured at entry and every 2 months during a period of 6 months.


RESULTS
291 individuals were evaluated (144 with persistent and 147 with transient abnormal aminotransferases). High body mass index was the most frequent (75.5%) etiological factor and was more common in the persistent elevated levels group, compared to the transient elevated levels group (82.0% vs 65.3%; p<0.01). Excessive alcohol intake (>2 units/day) was reported in 23.6%, with no differences between the two groups. Instead, recent use of medication or paint exposure were most frequently associated with transient elevated levels than persistent elevated levels (61.6% vs 23.3% for drugs and 13.7% vs 4.3% for paint, p<0.001). Considering the participants with transient elevated levels as controls, the multivariate analysis showed that high body mass index was the only independent predictor of persistent elevated aminotransferase levels (OR=5.3; 95%CI=1.88-13.42 for those with body mass index>29.9).


CONCLUSIONS
In virus-free blood donors, excessive body mass index is the most frequent etiological factor of abnormal aminotransferases and it is the sole risk factor associated with persistently elevated aminotransferases.
Morisco
Filomena
F
Department of Food Science, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Naples, Italy. filomena.morisco@unina.it
Stroffolini
Tommaso
T
Mele
Alfonso
A
Taliani
Gloria
G
Smedile
Antonina
A
Caronna
Stefania
S
Tosti
Maria E
ME
Niro
Grazia
G
Levrero
Massimo
M
Fiorillo
Maria T
MT
Amoruso
Daniela C
DC
Ascione
Antonio
A
Caporaso
Nicola
N
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D001782:Blood Donors; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000379:methods*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase