No abstract

No abstract

We evaluated the change in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT; EC 2.6.1.2) to serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST; EC 2.6.1.1; ALT/AST) ratio with the degree of fatty liver in morbidly obese patients. A total of 31 patients were included in the study. Fatty liver was graded as 0 to 4+. The mean and SD of AST and ALT were not significantly different between groups of patients with various grades of fatty liver. There was, however, a significant correlation between the ALT/AST ratio and the degree of fatty infiltration of the liver. This, we believe, implies damage mainly to the plasma membrane allowing loss of cytoplasmic enzymes rather than loss of mitochrondrial enzymes.

The authors studied the relationship between total leukocyte count and body weight in 42 morbidly obese patients (weight range, 101.5-206.8 kg). None of the patients had a recent history of infection, hematologic disorders, chronic respiratory disease, or were smoking more than 5 cigarettes/day. The range of total leukocyte count was 4.2-12.0 X 10(9) cells/L. Twelve of the 42 patients had a leukocyte count of 10 X 10(9) cells/L. There was a significant correlation between body weight (kg) and total leukocyte count (r = 0.68, P less than 0.001). Morbid obesity should be considered as one of the causes of physiologic leukocytosis.

Negative home environments clearly place adolescents at risk for engagement in health risk behaviours and associated physical health outcomes. Positive school environments can in part moderate these relationships. Optimisation of school social environments therefore remains warranted as a population health strategy.