Correlation of serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels of liver histology in chronic hepatitis C

ABSTRACT

To assess the correlation of serum alanine aminostransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels to severity of disease on liver biopsy in patients of chronic hepatitis C. Descriptive study. Department of Gastroenterology of Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, from January 2006 to February 2007. One hundred and seven diagnosed non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis C adult patients were included. Serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were determined. Knodell histopathological Index was determined on liver biopsy. The correlation and regression value between serum alanine aminotransferase levels and liver histology and serum aspartate aminotransferase and liver histology in chronic hepatitis C patients was determined using Pearson correlation analysis. Patients of chronic hepatitis C had raised serum alanine aminostransferase and levels with the mean baseline level of 93 International units per liter [IU/L] with a range of 13-383 IU/L. Serum aspirate aminotransferase levels were also elevated with mean baseline level of 59.65 IU/L ranging from 18-370 IU/L. On liver biopsy based on Knobell histopathologicalIndex, 47.7% of patients had mild, 39.9% IU/L had moderate and 13.1% had severe disease. There was significant association between serum alanine aminostransferase levels severity of the disese on liver biopsy [p<0.03] with weak positive correlation between the two [r=0.217]. There was also significant association between serum aspartate aminotransferase levels and severity of the disease on liver biopsy [p<0.001] with weak positive correlation between the two [r=0.32]. The serum alanine aminostransferase and serum aspartate aminotransferase levels do not indicate the severity of the disease on liver biopsy in chronic hepatitis C patients