Chronic hepatitis C-infected patients; Assessment of relationship between serum alanine aminotranferase levels and liver histology

ABSTRACT

In our region the sensitivity of serum alanine aminotransferase [ALT] levels in predicting the severity of hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection is unclean To compare histologic scoring of liver pathology in patients with chronic HCV infection with normal or elevated serum ALT. Prospective observational study. Liver clinic, Ghulam Mohammad Mahar Medical College Hospital, Sukkur, between January 2010 and December 2010. Liver biopsies were performed in patients with HCV infection and either normal [n=40] or elevated [n=76] serum ALT levels, and scored for activity and fibrosis using the modified histological activity index. Patients with normal ALT and elevated ALT had similar demographic features. Median [range] histological activity grade was higher in patients with elevated ALT than in those with normal ALT [6 [1 -15] vs. 5 [0-11], respectively; p = 0.001], as was the fibrosis stage [2 [0-6] vs. 1 [0-6]; p = 0.02]. Two patients with normal ALT and 4 with elevated ALT had liver cirrhosis. Among patients with chronic HCV infection, liver lesions are milder in those with normal serum ALT levels than those with abnormal ALT levels. However, some patients with normal ALT too may have advanced liver disease