Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)
Prelims:
Health
Mains:
GS Paper II-Issues Relating
to Public Health, GS Paper III-Science & Technology
Current relevance:
The Union
Health Ministry has urged people to monitor Alanine Aminotransferase
(ALT) levels as an early indicator of liver injury, highlighting the
growing burden of liver diseases.
Highlights:
Global
Burden of Liver Diseases:
1.
According to the WHO, liver diseases cause
around 2 million deaths annually worldwide.
2. Viral hepatitis caused an
estimated 1.3 million deaths in 2022.
3. Around 254
million people live with chronic Hepatitis B, while 50 million
live with chronic Hepatitis C.
4. The burden of Metabolic
Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) is increasing due to
rising obesity and diabetes.
Alanine
Aminotransferase (ALT):
1.
It is an
enzyme found predominantly inside liver cells, also known as Serum
Glutamic-Pyruvic Transaminase (SGPT).
2.
Damage or
inflammation of liver cells causes ALT to leak into the bloodstream,
making it one of the earliest laboratory markers of liver injury.
3. ALT is also present in smaller amounts in muscles
and the heart; therefore, elevated ALT does not always indicate liver
disease.
Role of ALT Testing:
1.
ALT is a
component of the Liver Function Test (LFT), performed using a blood
sample to assess liver enzymes and function, with results typically
available within a few hours.
2. Although many laboratories consider ALT levels
below 40 units/L as normal, interpretation depends on the patient's
clinical condition.
Individuals Recommended for ALT
Testing:
1.
ALT testing is
already included in most comprehensive health check-ups.
2.
Individuals
with the following conditions should undergo regular evaluation, they
are obesity, diabetes, thyroid disorders, high cholesterol, viral hepatitis,
long-term medication use, alcohol consumption, family history of liver disease,
sedentary lifestyle.
Elevated ALT may occur in:
1.
Acute viral
hepatitis
2.
Alcohol-related
liver disease
3.
Metabolic
Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD)
4.
Autoimmune
hepatitis
5.
Chronic liver
diseases
Measures:
1.
Maintaining a
healthy weight, reducing alcohol intake, limiting saturated fats,
refined carbohydrates and sugary foods, and engaging in regular physical
activity are essential for liver health, while viral hepatitis and
autoimmune hepatitis require specific medical treatment.
Source: THE
HINDU - What
Alanine aminotransferase level can reveal about liver health