Serum alanine aminotransferase

The five internal organs of the human body include the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, which are all important internal organs. Among these important organs, the role of the liver can be said to be particularly important. The liver is an important detoxification organ and substance transformation organ in our body. Many substance transformations in our body take place in the liver. However, because the liver lacks sensitive nerves, we can detect liver diseases in the early stages in time.

Does that mean we have to wait until the liver disease develops to the late stage before we can discover it? In fact, not necessarily. Under normal circumstances, the liver can secrete many types of enzymes into the blood. As long as we do a transaminase test during physical examinations, we can find out whether there is any lesion in the liver. Among the many transaminases, alanine aminotransferase is highly specific to hepatocytes. Below, we will introduce it to you.

Alanine aminotransferase is mainly present in hepatocytes, and its normal value is between 0-40 units. When it is significantly increased or decreased, it often indicates liver damage. This liver damage is only the "result" and cannot indicate the cause of the liver damage, nor can it be arbitrarily assumed to be hepatitis. The cause must be further investigated, such as whether there is hepatitis virus, whether the patient is addicted to alcohol, whether the patient is obese, whether there is fatty liver, whether there is heart disease, whether there is a history of chemical poisoning, whether there is a history of parasitic disease, etc.

When alanine aminotransferase is too high, symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, jaundice, and pain in the liver area will appear. These symptoms will appear when alanine aminotransferase is too high. Symptoms of high alanine aminotransferase are not necessarily caused by hepatitis. The cause of high alanine aminotransferase should be determined in a timely manner. It is recommended to check the hepatitis B two-pair-half test to determine whether there is hepatitis B virus infection. If the symptoms are severe, symptomatic treatment should be given.

The above is the application of alanine aminotransferase in liver diseases. However, we need to pay attention, because alanine aminotransferase is a highly specific transferase. If you do not get enough rest, drink alcohol, smoke, or eat a diet high in oil, salt, or sugar before the examination, it will have a certain impact on the results, so we need to pay special attention before the examination.