http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8740843&dopt=Abstract
Do serum ALAT values reflect the inflammatory activity in the
liver of patients with chronic viral hepatitis?
Cahen DL, van Leeuwen DJ, ten Kate FJ, Blok AP, Oosting J, Chamuleau RA.
Department of Hepato-gastroenterology and Pathology, Academic Medical Centre,
Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
A retrospective study was carried out in 40 patients with chronic viral
hepatitis, to assess whether serum alanine aminotransferase reflects the
inflammatory process in the liver. Twenty liver biopsy specimens were included
for each disease. Five histological aspects were scored: periportal
inflammation, lobular inflammation, ballooning, Councilman bodies and lymphocyte
follicles. Logarithmic values of alanine aminotransferase were correlated with
each aspect using the Spearman correlation coefficient. For the hepatitis B
cohort a statistical significant correlation was found between alanine
aminotransferase and periportal inflammation (p = 0.0001), lobular inflammation
(p = 0.0002) and Councilman bodies/area (p = 0.003). In the hepatitis C study
population alanine aminotransferase correlates with both periportal inflammation
(p = 0.007) and lymphocyte follicles/Area (p = 0.02).
In conclusion, these results suggest
that alanine
aminotransferase
can be used as an indicator of inflammatory activity. A prospective study
is needed, to further analyze the use of alanine aminotransferase, as a monitor
of disease activity in patients with chronic viral hepatitis.
PMID: 8740843 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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