Etiology and prevalence of abnormal serum alanine aminotransferase levels in a general population in Northeast China / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Chronic liver diseases are a major burden in China. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) can be used as an indicator of hepatocyte damage. In this study, we determined the prevalence and etiologies of elevated ALT in an adult population in Jilin, China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 4072 individuals aged between 18 and 79 years were first interviewed, and then underwent ultrasonography and blood tests.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The prevalence of elevated ALT was 17.53%. The most noticeable risk factor for ALT elevation was non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (accounting for 10.79%), metabolic syndrome (16.25%), or both (20.31%). The development of NAFLD occurred mostly in female peasants and small businessmen with increased income, age, fasting plasma glucose, body mass index, triglyceridemia, and low-density lipoprotein and decreased education level, high-density lipoprotein. Elevated ALT frequently occurred in low education level, male peasants and small businessmen with increased income, body mass index and triglyceride who had NAFLD and/or metabolic syndrome. However, elevated ALT with infection of hepatitis B or C virus was not associated with metabolic disorders, but rather with gender, occupation and increased age.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results from the current study demonstrate that elevated ALT is fairly high in the Northeast population (17.53%) and that the cause of its elevation is mostly due to NAFLD and metabolic syndrome.</p>

Investigation of the characteristics of HCV genotypes of Han and Korean in Yanbian area of Jilin province / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the characteristics of HCV genotypes of Han and Korean in Yanbian area of Jilin Province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The HCV RNA load and genotypes of the 119 chronic hepatitis C patients in Yanbian area of Jilin Province were determined by real-time PCR and LiPA. The differences of the HCV genotypes in Han and Korean cases, in severity of the diseases, in HCV-RNA load, and in the relation with type 2 diabetes mellitus were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was no significant difference in the distribution of each HCV genotype between Han and Korean patients (P > 0.05) with chronic hepatitis C. The difference between HCV genotype and HCV-RNA load was not significant (P > 0.05). With and without type 2 diabetes mellitus in these patients. The distribution of HCV genotype was also not significantly different (P > 0.05). The type 1b of HCV genotype in the moderate to severe chronic hepatitis C patients accounted for 58.06%. It was different compared with mild chronic hepatitis C patients (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>1) The type 1b is the most popular HCV genotype in Yanbian area of Jilin Province, type 2a is the second and there are still a few other genotypes. 2) There is no significant difference in the distribution of HCV genotypes between Han and Korean cases. 3) The HCV genotypes has nothing to do with the load of HCV-RNA. 4) The distribution of HCV genotypes in chronic hepatitis C patients with and without diabetes mellitus is not significantly different. 5) Type 1b of HCV infection is relatively severe.</p>