Current status of liver function tests in Japan.

Inter-laboratory variations in data obtained from surveillance in Japan were studied. The items evaluated were related to liver function and were as follows: total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT), cholinesterase (CHE), lactate dehydrogenase (LD), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and hepatitis markers. Inter-laboratory coefficients of variations for bilirubin, AST and ALT were acceptable, being less than 10%. but higher variations were found for thle other enzyme assays. Detection of hepatitis markers was acceptable. However. even for parameters with lower inter-laboratory variation, differences in obtained values among different reagents or methods still existed. Thus, standardization will be needed for laboratory data in Japan, and this will contribute to international standardization in laboratory medicine in the future.

Incidence of abnormalities in laboratory tests found in surveillance of adults over 40 years of age.

National health check-up systems have been used for 5 years in Japan for adults who are over 40 years of age. As part of a national project, Osaka prefecture is also conducting a program for health check-up testing and cancer screening for this age group. This surveillance revealed that incidence of obesity, hypertension, cholesterolemia, albuminuria, or abnormal ECG was high. Analysis of surveillance results should contribute to understanding the present status and recent trends in diseases in the aged. With continuation of this surveillance for a number of years, trends in life-style related diseases in Japan should be detectable.