Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.6.1.2 (alanine aminotransferase)
 26,722 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In a survey carried out from 1985 through 1986, volunteer blood donors to The Greater New York Blood Program were tested for two surrogate markers for non-A, non-B hepatitis--elevation of alanine aminotransferase level and presence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. Stored serum samples from selected donors were also recently tested for antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). Anti-HCV was detected in 0.9% to 1.4% of donors and was higher in black and Hispanic donors than in white donors. Anti-HCV prevalence increased with increasing age through the fourth decade of life, but decreased thereafter, possibly reflecting the disappearance of detectable antibody with time. Anti-HCV correlated with both alanine aminotransferase level and the presence or absence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. These associations suggest that donor screening for elevation of alanine aminotransferase level and presence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen was, as expected, at least partially effective in preventing transfusion-associated non-A, non-B hepatitis. The detection of anti-HCV in donors who have neither an elevation of alanine aminotransferase level nor presence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen suggests that donor screening for anti-HCV will further reduce the risk of transfusion-associated hepatitis.
JAMA 1990 Jan 05
PMID:Epidemiology of hepatitis C virus. A preliminary study in volunteer blood donors. 210 48

Following a major environmental accident near Seveso, Italy, on July 10, 1976, we attempted to determine if the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) released into the atmosphere had any effect on the liver function and lipid metabolism of exposed children. From July 1976 to June 1982, we analyzed the results of more than 4500 laboratory tests (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, and triglycerides in plasma and delta-aminolevulinic acid in urine) in a population of about 1500 children aged 6 to 10 years at the moment of the accident. The children exposed to the highest concentration of TCDD showed alterations in serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and alanine aminotransferase activity compared with the control group. These differences were restricted to values inside limits set from the lower end of the normal range to slightly above it. The observed abnormalities were slight and disappeared with time.
JAMA 1986 Nov 21
PMID:Clinical laboratory manifestations of exposure to dioxin in children. A six-year study of the effects of an environmental disaster near Seveso, Italy. 287 2

We examined the cost-effectiveness of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) screening of donor blood to prevent non-A, non-B posttransfusion hepatitis. Based on estimated costs of ALT screening, blood replacement, and medical evaluation of donors with high ALT levels, we concluded that screening at an ALT level of 45 IU would cost $3.82 per unit. In a population requiring an average of 3.7 units per transfusion, one case of hepatitis would be prevented for every 115 units screened, resulting in a cost of $439 per case prevented. With an estimated direct medical cost of $1,181 per case of non-A, non-B hepatitis, expected net savings for each case prevented would be $742. Screening at other ALT thresholds would be less cost-saving. Sensitivity analyses indicate that screening would be cost-saving for a wide range of cost estimates and number of units per transfusion. Alanine aminotransferase screening is warranted until more sensitive and specific screening tests for transmissibility of non-A, non-B hepatitis become available.
JAMA
PMID:Should donor blood be screened for elevated alanine aminotransferase levels? A cost-effectiveness analysis. 643 22

Radioimmunoassays for detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs), antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), antibody to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV), and anti-HAV of IgM class were used to verify hepatitis A and hepatitis B infection in 33 drug addicts with multiple attacks of hepatitis. Hepatitis A was confirmed serologically in 23 (32%) of 71 total hepatitis episodes, while hepatitis B was confirmed in 30 episodes (42%). The remaining 18 hepatitis episodes (25%) were, by serological exclusion, also of Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus infection, classified as hepatitis non-A, non-B. However, while as many as 13 (39%) of the 33 primary attacks of hepatitis were of the type non-A, non-B, this type was never observed as a third attack. In no case were two attacks of hepatitis A or hepatitis B demonstrated in the same individual, but two different episodes of hepatitis non-A, non-B were observed in one patient. The maximal serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and bilirubin were significantly lower in patients with hepatitis non-A, non-B as compared with those with hepatitis B. Development of chronic liver disease occurred in only two (7%) of the 28 addicts who continued to be followed up.
JAMA 1980 Mar 14
PMID:Multiple hepatitis attacks in drug addicts. 676 7

To assess the relationship of donor alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level to recipient hepatitis, 283 transfused patients were prospectively followed up after open heart surgery; hepatitis developed in 12.7%, of which 97% was non-A, non-B. The ALT tests of 3,359 donors to these patients indicated that risk of hepatitis was significantly associated with the level of donor ALT; 29% of 52 patients receiving at least 1 unit of blood with an ALT level greater than 53 IU/L had hepatitis develop (20.7 cases per 1,000 units), compared with 9% of 231 recipients of only blood with an ALT level of 53 IU/L or less (7.8 cases per 1,000 units). Calculation of corrected efficacy predicts that, at an exclusion level equivalent to 2.25 SDs above the mean log for normal subjects, ALT testing of donors could prevent 29% of posttransfusion hepatitis at the loss of 1.6% of donor units.
JAMA 1981 Aug 07
PMID:Donor transaminase and recipient hepatitis. Impact on blood transfusion services. 678 64

Indirect tests of liver function such as determinations of concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and conjugated bile acids (BA) have been advocated as indicators of both the infectivity of the blood of donors in transmitting non-A, non-B (NANB) hepatitis and of the onset, severity, and duration of this disease in recipients. We therefore compared the predictive value of concentrations of ALT and postprandial concentrations of BA in the blood of 311 donors and in the blood of 41 recipients in whom either NANB or type B hepatitis developed after transfusion. Our results demonstrated that higher than normal concentrations of ALT (greater than 45 IU/L) in the blood of donors were generally accompanied with normal concentrations of BA (less than 6 mumole/L), and, therefore, concentrations of ALT may be more useful in predicting the infectivity of donor blood in transmitting NANB hepatitis. In addition, concentrations of ALT, compared with BA concentrations, were a significantly better indicator of the onset, severity, and duration of the disease in recipients in whom NANB hepatitis developed after transfusion. In recipients who had posttransfusion type B hepatitis, serum concentrations of ALT were significantly better indicators of the onset and severity of the disease than concentrations of BA.
JAMA 1981 Nov 20
PMID:Serum bile acids and alanine aminotransferase concentrations. Comparison of efficacy as indirect means of identifying carriers of non-A, non-B hepatitis agents and of onset, severity, and duration of posttransfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis in recipients. 679 68

Quadratic multiple discriminant analysis of 25 commonly ordered laboratory tests resulted in correct classification of 100% of nonalcoholics without overt liver disease, 98% of alcoholism treatment program patients with presumed mild liver involvement, 96% of alcoholics with liver disease, and 89% of nonalcoholics with liver disease. Direct comparison of the biopsy-verified alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver disease groups resulted in 100% discrimination, and removal of traditionally evaluated liver tests from the battery of 25 tests did not substantially alter the original classification accuracy. Alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver disease was still 100% differentiable when equated for number of patients with cirrhosis, hepatitis, and hepatitis combined with cirrhosis or fibrosis. Additional utility of the quadratic discriminant approach was demonstrated when 83% alcoholic and 83% nonalcoholic liver disease cases were diagnosed correctly in a prospective manner. In contrast, use of aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratios (ie, SGOT to SGPT) identified correctly 75% and 33% of patients, respectively.
JAMA 1982 Nov 12
PMID:Biochemical and hematologic correlates of alcoholism and liver disease. 713 77

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission following a needlestick is an important threat to health care workers. We present the case of a 29-year-old medical intern who sustained a needlestick injury from a source patient known to be infected with both human immunodeficiency virus and HCV. The case patient subsequently developed acute HCV infection. The optimal strategy for diagnosing HCV infection after occupational exposures has not been defined. At a minimum, HCV antibody and alanine aminotransferase testing should be done within several days of exposure (to assess if the health care worker is already infected with HCV) and 6 months after percutaneous, mucosal, or nonintact skin exposure to blood or infectious body fluids from an HCV-infected patient. Currently, it is not possible to prevent HCV infection after exposure. However, recent data suggest that early treatment of acute HCV infection with interferon alpha may be highly effective in preventing chronic HCV infection. These data underscore the importance of identifying persons with acute HCV infection and promptly referring them to experienced clinicians who can provide updated counseling and treatment.
JAMA 2002 May 08
PMID:Needlestick transmission of hepatitis C. 1224 29