Association between Asia–Pacific body mass index classification and serum liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase in healthy individuals

Abstract Background Elevated levels of serum liver transaminases are good indicators of liver cell damage, and elevated serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) level is a good indicator of both bile duct and hepatocellular damage. At early stages, elevated serum levels of these liver enzymes can be m...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Epitagama Liyana Arachchige Navoda Navanjalee Dilhara, Kosgahagoda Durage Chandika Pushpakumara, Pathiranage Dias, Athapaththu Mudiyanselage Buddhika Priyadarshani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2023-08-01
Series:Egyptian Liver Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s43066-023-00275-7
_version_ 1797577997402767360
author Epitagama Liyana Arachchige Navoda Navanjalee Dilhara
Kosgahagoda Durage Chandika Pushpakumara
Pathiranage Dias
Athapaththu Mudiyanselage Buddhika Priyadarshani
author_facet Epitagama Liyana Arachchige Navoda Navanjalee Dilhara
Kosgahagoda Durage Chandika Pushpakumara
Pathiranage Dias
Athapaththu Mudiyanselage Buddhika Priyadarshani
author_sort Epitagama Liyana Arachchige Navoda Navanjalee Dilhara
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Elevated levels of serum liver transaminases are good indicators of liver cell damage, and elevated serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) level is a good indicator of both bile duct and hepatocellular damage. At early stages, elevated serum levels of these liver enzymes can be mostly prevailed as an asymptomatic condition and therefore in an undiagnosed state. This may be resulted in a number of complications and may lead to chronic hepatic damage that will be more severe and difficult to care. Serum liver enzyme levels are affected by age, gender, body mass index (BMI), ethnicity, drugs and viruses. Obesity has been an epidemic in nearly every country in the world. BMI is the best parameter to assess the magnitude of obesity. Having this background, the present study was designed to investigate the correlation between the levels of serum liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and GGT and Asia–Pacific cut-off points of BMI in healthy individuals. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using 120 Sinhala, Buddhist subjects which belonged to 18–32 years. BMI was calculated according to the standard protocol. The serum ALT and AST concentrations were measured by UV assay according to the IFCC method without pyridoxal phosphate activation, and the serum GGT concentration was measured by UV assay according to Szasz method, using the Mindray BS-240 Full Automatic Biochemistry Analyser. Results Serum levels of liver enzymes were significantly higher in males than females. In females, serum levels of ALT (r = 0.312, p < 0.001), AST (r = 0.138, p = 0.071) and GGT (r = 0.212, p = 0.047) positively correlated with BMI. In males too, serum levels of ALT (r = 0.431, p < 0.001), AST (r = 0.324, p = 0.013) and GGT (r = 0.314, p = 0.031) were positively correlated with BMI. The minimum values of serum ALT, AST and GGT levels were observed in underweight group, while the maximum values were observed in obese group in both genders. Conclusions ALT had the strongest correlation with BMI in both females and males. Therefore, ALT can be suggested as the best liver enzyme that can be used in screening purposes by concerning BMI.
first_indexed 2024-03-10T22:16:57Z
format Article
id doaj.art-12a6621bd77b4266956c2bdb145f0b16
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2090-6226
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-10T22:16:57Z
publishDate 2023-08-01
publisher SpringerOpen
record_format Article
series Egyptian Liver Journal
spelling doaj.art-12a6621bd77b4266956c2bdb145f0b162023-11-19T12:24:54ZengSpringerOpenEgyptian Liver Journal2090-62262023-08-0113111010.1186/s43066-023-00275-7Association between Asia–Pacific body mass index classification and serum liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase in healthy individualsEpitagama Liyana Arachchige Navoda Navanjalee Dilhara0Kosgahagoda Durage Chandika Pushpakumara1Pathiranage Dias2Athapaththu Mudiyanselage Buddhika Priyadarshani3Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Sri JayewardenepuraDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Sri JayewardenepuraDepartment of Statistics, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri JayewardenepuraDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Sri JayewardenepuraAbstract Background Elevated levels of serum liver transaminases are good indicators of liver cell damage, and elevated serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) level is a good indicator of both bile duct and hepatocellular damage. At early stages, elevated serum levels of these liver enzymes can be mostly prevailed as an asymptomatic condition and therefore in an undiagnosed state. This may be resulted in a number of complications and may lead to chronic hepatic damage that will be more severe and difficult to care. Serum liver enzyme levels are affected by age, gender, body mass index (BMI), ethnicity, drugs and viruses. Obesity has been an epidemic in nearly every country in the world. BMI is the best parameter to assess the magnitude of obesity. Having this background, the present study was designed to investigate the correlation between the levels of serum liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and GGT and Asia–Pacific cut-off points of BMI in healthy individuals. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using 120 Sinhala, Buddhist subjects which belonged to 18–32 years. BMI was calculated according to the standard protocol. The serum ALT and AST concentrations were measured by UV assay according to the IFCC method without pyridoxal phosphate activation, and the serum GGT concentration was measured by UV assay according to Szasz method, using the Mindray BS-240 Full Automatic Biochemistry Analyser. Results Serum levels of liver enzymes were significantly higher in males than females. In females, serum levels of ALT (r = 0.312, p < 0.001), AST (r = 0.138, p = 0.071) and GGT (r = 0.212, p = 0.047) positively correlated with BMI. In males too, serum levels of ALT (r = 0.431, p < 0.001), AST (r = 0.324, p = 0.013) and GGT (r = 0.314, p = 0.031) were positively correlated with BMI. The minimum values of serum ALT, AST and GGT levels were observed in underweight group, while the maximum values were observed in obese group in both genders. Conclusions ALT had the strongest correlation with BMI in both females and males. Therefore, ALT can be suggested as the best liver enzyme that can be used in screening purposes by concerning BMI.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43066-023-00275-7Alanine aminotransferaseAspartate aminotransferaseGamma-glutamyl transferaseBody mass index
spellingShingle Epitagama Liyana Arachchige Navoda Navanjalee Dilhara
Kosgahagoda Durage Chandika Pushpakumara
Pathiranage Dias
Athapaththu Mudiyanselage Buddhika Priyadarshani
Association between Asia–Pacific body mass index classification and serum liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase in healthy individuals
Egyptian Liver Journal
Alanine aminotransferase
Aspartate aminotransferase
Gamma-glutamyl transferase
Body mass index
title Association between Asia–Pacific body mass index classification and serum liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase in healthy individuals
title_full Association between Asia–Pacific body mass index classification and serum liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase in healthy individuals
title_fullStr Association between Asia–Pacific body mass index classification and serum liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase in healthy individuals
title_full_unstemmed Association between Asia–Pacific body mass index classification and serum liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase in healthy individuals
title_short Association between Asia–Pacific body mass index classification and serum liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase in healthy individuals
title_sort association between asia pacific body mass index classification and serum liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase aspartate aminotransferase and gamma glutamyl transferase in healthy individuals
topic Alanine aminotransferase
Aspartate aminotransferase
Gamma-glutamyl transferase
Body mass index
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s43066-023-00275-7
work_keys_str_mv AT epitagamaliyanaarachchigenavodanavanjaleedilhara associationbetweenasiapacificbodymassindexclassificationandserumliverenzymesalanineaminotransferaseaspartateaminotransferaseandgammaglutamyltransferaseinhealthyindividuals
AT kosgahagodaduragechandikapushpakumara associationbetweenasiapacificbodymassindexclassificationandserumliverenzymesalanineaminotransferaseaspartateaminotransferaseandgammaglutamyltransferaseinhealthyindividuals
AT pathiranagedias associationbetweenasiapacificbodymassindexclassificationandserumliverenzymesalanineaminotransferaseaspartateaminotransferaseandgammaglutamyltransferaseinhealthyindividuals
AT athapaththumudiyanselagebuddhikapriyadarshani associationbetweenasiapacificbodymassindexclassificationandserumliverenzymesalanineaminotransferaseaspartateaminotransferaseandgammaglutamyltransferaseinhealthyindividuals