AASLD 2013: Think Normal ALT Levels Mean Your Liver Is OK? Think Again



— Christine M. Kukka, Project Manager, HBV Advocate

According to current medical guidelines, hepatitis B patients with normal ALT levels30 and 19 international units per milliliter (IU/mL) in men and women respectively) do not require treatment. However, U.S. researchers reviewed nine studies involving 830 patients with normal ALTs who had had liver biopsies and found that 27.8% had significant fibrosis (liver inflammation).

About one-fifth of patients with only slightly elevated ALT levels (about 40 IU/L), "... May have significant underlying fibrosis independent of HBeAg status, high HBV DNA levels, or Asian ethnicity," they wrote. "Approach to patients with normal ALT should be individualized as further evaluation and possibly antiviral therapy may be appropriate in a subset of these patients."

Control ID: 1739901 Significant fibrosis among patients with Chronic hepatitis B infection and only normal serum alanine transaminase levels: A systematic review and meta-analysis. (Abstract #921)
 

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