Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound

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Query: EC:2.6.1.1 (aspartate aminotransferase)
21,665 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The prevalence of hepatitis C infection and possible predisposing factors was assessed in a renal unit. Of 343 patients at our renal dialysis centre, 37 (10.8%) were anti-HCV positive by a 1st-generation assay (ELISA, Ortho/Chiron) and confirmed positive in 35 (10.2%) with a 2nd-generation test (UBI, New York). Anti-HCV positivity was significantly associated with: duration of renal replacement therapy (P < 0.0001); quantity of blood transfused (P < 0.002); duration of hospital haemodialysis (P = 0.0001); duration with a functional renal transplant (P = 0.039); and aspartate aminotransferase (P < 0.0001). Logistic regression determined the following variables to be independent risk factors: duration of renal replacement therapy with a relative risk of 34.3 for 5-9 years and 87.4 when the duration was in excess of 10 years; renal transplant for less than 1 year (relative risk of 5.0); transfusion in excess of 50 units of blood (relative risk of 11.6). Clinical assessment of anti-HCV-positive patients revealed peripheral signs of chronic liver disease in 40%, hepatomegaly in 34%, and splenomegaly in 9%. This prevalence of hepatitis C infection is similar to other European and North American centres, but contrasts with low prevalence rates reported from dialysis populations in the UK. It adds further support for routine screening of blood and possibly organ donors and implementation of further infection control measures in dialysis centres.
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PMID:Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C in dialysis patients and transplant recipients with possible routes of transmission. 827 37

This randomized double-blind study of the metabolic effects of two low-dose oral contraceptives was conducted in 58 randomly selected Singaporean women. Study subjects were divided into two treatment groups: 1) norethisterone 1 mg/ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg (NET/EE) or levonorgestrel 150 mcg/ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg (LNG/EE) were given to 35 women; 2) a control group of 23 women using IUDs. Blood samples were taken on admission and at 3 and 12 months after pills or insertion of IUDs. Findings demonstrate a significant decrease in mean fasting glucose and in 2-hour glucose loading, while triglycerides were increased throughout the treatment period in the NET/EE group. The LNG/EE group only showed significant suppression of the 2-hour glucose loading at 12 months and low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein (LDL/HDL) cholesterol was significantly reduced by 12 months. Both groups had no change in hemoglobin, hematocrit and total protein levels, but alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin and aspartate transaminase (SGOT) were decreased. Decreased albumin was observed in the NET/EE group, but not in the LNG/EE group. Changes in total HDL and LDL cholesterol and SGOT were not significantly different in the treatment group compared to the IUD group, except for the 2-hour glucose loading. There was no increase in the number of abnormal parameters after treatment. On the contrary, there was a reduction of abnormal values in most liver function parameters. Thus, except for glucose intolerance, the observed changes in metabolic parameters may not be of any clinical significance.
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PMID:Lipid and biochemical changes after low-dose oral contraception. 145 19

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been proposed to be a cofactor in the pathogenesis of cirrhosis in patients with chronic alcoholism. The demonstration of a different liver histological pattern in anti-HCV positive patients might provide additional evidence. We studied 164 patients with chronic alcoholism, and histologically proven cirrhosis. For all of them, serum samples were collected at the time of a liver biopsy and stored at -80 degrees C. Testing for anti-HCV antibodies was done using the Ortho Diagnostic Systems Anti-HCV ELISA test. Only reproducible results were considered positive. A semi-quantitative assessment of seven histological parameters was made independently on liver biopsy samples. In the study group, 29 patients (18%) had anti-HCV antibodies. When compared with anti-HCV negative patients, both groups had similar ALT and AST seric activities. Anti-HCV positive patients had a greater score of mononuclear cells infiltrate (0.71 +/- 0.57 vs 0.41 +/- 0.52; p less than 0.05) and a lesser score of alcoholic hepatitis (0.19 +/- 0.57 vs 0.74 +/- 0.74; p less than 0.005). The scores for steatosis, perisinusoidal and perinodular fibrosis, and hepatocellular necrosis were similar in the two groups. In anti-HCV positive patients, with a clearly positive recombinant immunobinding assay (RIBA, Chiron-Ortho Diagnostic Systems), a greater score for hepatic necrosis and a lesser one for fibrosis were demonstrated. Among the seven patients with active cirrhosis, six were anti-HCV positive. Therefore, HCV is likely to play a role in the pathogenesis of liver damage in a few patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, especially, those with active cirrhosis.
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PMID:Pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis in alcoholic patients: histological evidence for hepatitis C virus responsibility. 166 14

In order to evaluate the seroprevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), where a high prevalence of false-positive anti-HCV reactions is reported, we studied 79 patients affected with RA. In these subjects we recorded some clinical and anamnestic data (history of blood transfusion, risk factors of liver disease, therapy) and determined, besides a few routine laboratory parameters including rheumatoid factor (RF), AST and ALT, the anti-HCV serology using the 1st (EIA, Ortho and Abbott; Neutralization test, Abbott; RIBA, Chiron-Ortho) and the 2nd generation tests (EIA, Ortho; RIBA, Chiron-Ortho). Four patients (of whom three were RF seronegative) were anti-HCV reactive by the 1st generation EIA tests (5.1%). According to the results of the confirmatory tests, and particularly of the 2nd generation, two patients resulted infected by HCV. These results do not confirm the previously reported high prevalence of false-positive anti-HCV reactions in RA, and demonstrated the usefulness of the 2nd generation tests in diagnosing the HCV infection.
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PMID:[Prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus in rheumatoid arthritis. Study using second-generation tests]. 166 11

A comparative study of the metabolic effects of two combined oral contraceptive preparations was undertaken in seven WHO Collaborating Centres for Research in Human Reproduction. A total of 847 subjects were randomly allocated to one of two pill groups - norethisterone lmg/ethinyl estradiol 35 micrograms (NET/EE) or levonorgestrel 150 micrograms/ethinyl estradiol 30 micrograms (LNG/EE). An additional 195 women using an IUD served as a comparison group. Blood samples were taken on admission, and at 3 and 12 months thereafter. Both pills induced changes in fasting and 2-hour glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, and total protein, but not aspartate aminotransferase. The most dramatic and probably most clinically important changes were an increase in triglycerides and a decrease in HDL-cholesterol. The NET/EE preparation appeared to induce a greater increase in triglycerides, but no significant difference was found between the two pill preparations with respect to HDL-cholesterol changes.
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PMID:A randomized double-blind study of the effects of two low-dose combined oral contraceptives on biochemical aspects. Report from a seven-centred study. WHO Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction. Task force on Oral Contraceptives. 286 58

The effects of oral contraceptives of varied estrogen/progestin composition on clinical measurements of hepatic, thyroid, and renal function and carbohydrate metabolism were examined in 1,355 women in the Lipid Research Clinics Program Prevalence Study. In general, bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase levels are lower with both oral contraceptives and postmenopausal estrogen use, suggesting an estrogen effect. The least bilirubin reduction is seen with a progestin dominant oral contraceptive. A significant decrement in aspartate aminotransferase is observed in users of one high estrogen dose oral contraceptive and in postmenopausal Premarin users, while aspartate aminotransferase is higher in postmenopausal users of higher dose ethinyl estradiol. Globulins are slightly higher in all hormone use categories, suggesting an estrogen effect on hepatic secretion of this protein class into the circulation. Fasting glucose concentrations are generally slightly lower even in the progestin dominant oral contraceptives, where glucose intolerance has been described. Thyroxine concentrations are generally elevated in all women using oral contraceptives. A relationship to estrogen dose is seen in women with thyroxine concentrations greater than the 99th percentile and in postmenopausal estrogen users. Creatinine concentration is greater with the use of Ovral, a progestin dominant oral contraceptive, and lower with two estrogen dominant oral contraceptives and Premarin, suggesting a competitive effect of estrogen and progestin. Among the clinical laboratory tests considered here, oral contraceptive effects seem to be largely estrogen mediated with a suggestion of competitive effect of estrogen versus progestin only on bilirubin and creatinine levels. These observations differ from lipoproteins where opposing hormonal effects are more clearly reflected in changing lipoprotein concentrations.
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PMID:Effect of estrogen/progestin potency on clinical chemistry measures. The Lipid Research Clinics Program Prevalence Study. 394 98

The effects of 2 oral contraceptives, Ovulen and Norlestrin, were studied in monkeys fed adequate protein and low protein diets. The experiment was carried out in parts. In the first one, the administration of contraceptives was cyclic and similar to that employed in human subjects. In the other experiments, the contraceptives were given continuously and an attempt was made to exaggerate the deleterious effects of the oral contraceptive on the liver by including small doses of a known hepatotoxic agent, aflatoxin (AT). In Experiment 1, 45 female monkeys were divided into 2 groups of 20 and 25 and received an adequate protein (16%) and low protein diet (4%) respectively. Each monkey was fed 1/5 of a tablet of Ovulen or Norlestrin orally for 3 weeks, and then administration was discontinued for 1 week. In Experiment 2, 35 female monkeys were divided into 7 groups of 5 each. All the animals recieved 4% protein diet. 5 groups were tube fed at the rate of 100 cal/kg body weight, while 2 groups were given diet ad libitum. Group I received the diet alone while groups II-V received 10 mcg AT, 25 mcg AT, 10 mcg AT plus 1/5 Ovulen tablets, and 25 mcg AT plus 1/5 Ovulen tablet respectively daily. Groups VI and VII received the diet ad libitum but were orally fed 75 mcg AT and 75 mcg AT plus 1/5 Ovulen tablet respectively. Serum glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase activity and alkaline phosphatase activity were studied at regular intervals after the administation of oral contraceptives in the experiments. Serum proteins and hemoglobin were also determined. Monkeys fed oral contraceptives showed increased serum glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase and alkaline phosphatase activities irrespective of the level of protein in the diet. Livers of animals receiving oral contraceptives were morphologically similar to the controls fed respective diets. The experiments were conducted for a period of almost 2 years.
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PMID:Metabolic effects of oral contraceptives in monkeys fed adequate protein & low proein diets. 420 42

Several general comments are offered regarding the detailed comparison of clinical and metabolic effects of combined-type oral contraceptives made by Dr. W.G. McBride et al. The findings are compared with the results of these researchers. The use of the term "19-nortestosterone" or "derived from testosterone" to describe certain progestogens is disliked for the following reasons: norethisterone, lynestrenol, ethynodiol diacetate, norethynodrel and norgestrel are not manufactured from testosterone or 19-testosterone and have endocrine properties dissimilar to these compounds. The first 4 progestogens are estranes, and norgestrel is a gonane. This terminology is much preferred. Women in McBride's group received products containing 2 different estrogens, and it is felt that grouping together OCs containing 2 different estrogens at several different dose levels, in combination with many different progestogens, makes for too heterogeneous a group. In the research of these 2 commenters the attempt has been made wherever possible to use women as their own controls by comparing results before and during treatment. Using this method ethynyloestradiol or mestranol were given alone to healthy young volunteers and then the same daily of estrogen was administered for a second 21-day course, but this time in combination with various progestogens. Clinical and biochemical data have also been accumulated from women taking most commerically available OCs. The metabolic results are contrasted with McBride's who compared untreated controls with women receiving a variety of different products. A significant fall was seen in serum cholesterol level in women changed to the low estrogen OC Nordette from other products after only 1 cycle of treatment. McBride reported a significant increase in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) with products containing "19-nortestosterone" progestogens. It is doubtful whether this small increase in AST is biologically meaningful. The day-to-day variation in serum AST for healthy women was found to be much greater than reported by McBride, using the same method.
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PMID:Comparative study of adverse effects of oral contraceptives. 444 20

Injectable progestogen, norethisterone enanthate (NET-EN, 200 mg/ml at 60 day intervals), was administered to 150 women for 2 years as their method of contraception. Blood levels of acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, acetylcholinesterase (AChe), sialic acid were determined in all subjects to ascertain whether NET-EN therapy causes any adverse metabolic effect or damage to the functional status of the liver. NET-EN contraception did not alter the liver function enzymes but there is a significant increase (P0.001) in AChE activity after 2 years. Serum sialic acid level showed a transient increase up to 1 year, which however returned to control level later. The mechanism responsible for these changes and whether the rise in sialic acid and AChE activity are related to any pathological condition remain unclear at this stage.
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PMID:Studies on some enzymes and sialic acid during progestational contraceptive therapy. 646 44

To elucidate whether breast milk, vaginal discharge and contamination with maternal blood at birth are possible routes of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV), we examined HCV RNA in the cord and peripheral blood of infants, and in the blood, vaginal discharge, and breast milk of anti-HCV seropositive mothers. From July 1991 to July 1992, we studied 20 healthy pregnant women, who were seropositive with the Ortho anti-HCV EIA, and their infants. Using a sensitive nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR), we investigated the presence or absence of hepatitis C virus in the above-mentioned specimens. Moderate elevation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was observed in only one woman in the first and third trimesters. The nested PCR and subsequent Southern hybridization detected 0.5-5.5 copies of HCV c-DNA. HCV RNA was detected in 17/20 blood samples (85%), 7/14 vaginal discharge samples (50%) and 4/10 cord blood samples (40%). However, no HCV RNA was identified in the peripheral blood of infants or breast milk. The mother-to-child transmission of HCV at delivery or via breast milk does not appear to contribute much to maintaining the global HCV reservoir.
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PMID:Studies on transmission of hepatitis C virus from mother-to-child in the perinatal period. 825 May 98


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