Serum γ-glutamyltransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase activity in Iranian healthy blood donor men

Abstract

AIM:To determine serum γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity, and to assess their correlation with demographic and clinical findings in healthy blood donors. METHODS:This cross-sectional study was performed in 934 male blood donors, aged 18 to 68 years, who consecutively attended Tehran blood transfusion service in 2006. All participants were seronegative for HBV or HCV infections, non alcohol users, and all underwent a standard interview and anthropometric tests. Clinical and biochemical parameters including AST, ALT, and GGT activities were determined. Patients taking drugs known to cause hepatic fat deposition were excluded. For AST, ALT, and GGT variables, we used 33.33 and 66.66 percentiles, so that each of them was divided into three tertiles. RESULTS:Mean AST, ALT, and GGT activities were 25.26 ± 12.58 U/L (normal range 5-35 U/L), 33.13 ± 22.98 (normal range 5-35 U/L), and 25.11 ± 18.32 (normal range 6-37 U/L), respectively. By univariate analyses, there were significant associations between increasing AST, ALT, or GGT tertiles and age, body weight, body mass index, and waist and hip circumferences (P < 0.05). By multiple linear regression analyses, ALT was found to be positively correlated with dyslipidemia (B = 6.988, P = 0.038), whereas ALT and AST were negatively correlated with age. AST, ALT, and GGT levels had positive correlation with family history of liver disease (B = 15.763, P < 0.001), (B = 32.345, P < 0.001), (B = CLINICAL RESEARCHwww.wjgnet.com 24.415, P < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSION:Although we did not determine the cutoffs of the upper normal limits for AST, ALT, and GGT levels, we would suggest screening asymptomatic patients with dyslipidemia and also subjects with a family history of liver disease.

Asymptomatic hypertransaminasemia in patients in Primary Care

“…We found that the average BMI of patients with HA was 29.8, similar to that obtained in other studies of BMI levels around 27-30 (12). Furthermore, in the multivariate analysis in our study we observed a statistically significant association between the patient's BMI and the presence of AH, an increase of 12.5% in the probability of AH for each point increase in BMI.…”

“…This confirms that the majority of increases above normal values for transaminases are mild, often below twice the normal range. Several studies claim that AH is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia (12). In our study, despite significant percentage of patients with these diseases among those with AH (28.8% of hypertensives, diabetics 18.2% and 33.3% of patients with dyslipidemia), no association was found statistically significant among these factors and the presence or persistence of AH, after carrying out a multivariate analysis controlling other variables.…”

Clinical and epidemiological profile of blood donors with positive serology for viral hepatitis in southern Brazil

“…However, it is known that men represent the majority of blood donors with reactive serology, with prevalence ranging from 76% to 84% [21][22] . The average age of 37 years-old is similar to that described by other authors, ranging between 34 and 41 years-old [23][24] . Higher mean age in this study was independently associated with seropositivity for viral hepatitis.…”

Repeat Whole Blood Donation Correlates Significantly with Reductions in BMI and Lipid Profiles and Increased Gamma Glutamic Transferase (GGT) Activity among Nigerian Blood Donors

“…Similarly, no significant associations between GGT and age, BMI and anthropometric measurements as substantiated by the works of Giral et al [15]. However, Khedmat et al [1] were of contrary opinion. In their works, there was a highly significant association between GGT and age, BMI, blood pressure, serum lipids and lipoproteins.…”

“…The health benefits of screening for fatty liver and other components of the metabolic syndrome seems as necessary as performing tests for viral hepatitis B and C infections on the blood donors [1]. This is because an estimated 1% -9% of people who have no symptoms are known to have high liver enzyme levels attributable to non alcoholic fatty liver disease whose risk factors have been known to be obesity, diabetes (insulin resistance), hyperlipidaemia and hypertension [2].…”