• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.317-322
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• 2010

This study has been done with 1,431 subjects who visited Health Promotion Centers of the hospitals in Gumi for National Health Screening Program for People at Transitional Ages from April to December 2007. Serum biochemical tests related with metabolic syndrome were performed. Among biochemical factors related with metabolic syndrome, the mean values of serum glucose, AST, ALT, triglyceride and HDL cholesterol except LDL cholesterol were significantly higher in males than in females, so a significant difference by sex was observed (P<0.001). AST, ALT, triglyceride and HDL were thought to be significantly affecting serum GGT for males. In contrast, ALT and HDL cholesterol were important factors for females (P<0.001). For both sexes, serum glucose and LDL cholesterol did not produce any meaningful effect on serum GGT. In males AST, ALT and HDL cholesterol were associated with high risk of abnormality of serum GGT and in females AST, ALT and LDL cholesterol were related with high risk of abnormality of serum GGT. Therefore, AST and ALT showed a significant effect on abnormality of serum GGT in both males and females. It was observed that males exhibited significantly high correlation between metabolic syndrome related biochemical factors and serum GGT than females, and their influence on abnormality of serum GGT was also higher in males than in females. Therefore, serum GGT tests performed for health screening are considered to be useful for managements of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome as well as liver function test.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.297-302
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• 1990

The effects of ginseng saponin on the activity of serum alanine aminoiransferase (ALT) in trained rats were examined. The trained group was given a chronic swimming bout (approx. 90 min/day) for 50 days, and ginseng group was given an oral administration of ginseng saponin (150mg/kg/day) for 2 weeks. Ginseng treated-trained group was given an oral administration of ginseng saponin for 2 weeks prior to the termination of a swimming bout. In this experiment, male rats of Sprague-Dawley strain (250 $\pm$ 20 g) were used. The activities of serum ALT in trained and in ginseng groups increased 72.89% (P < 0.01) and 57.14% (P < 0.01) than in control groups, respectively. Also, the activities of serum ALT increased 69.66% (P <0.01) in saline treated-trained group, and 79.31% (P < 0.01) in ginseng treated-trained group than in control groups which were given saline solution and kept sedentary. The effect of ginseng saponin, as revealed by comparing the ginseng treated-trained group with the saline treated-trained group, was not significant. The present study suggests that training and ginseng saponin significantly increased the activity of serum ALT in rats, but that, in ginseng treated-trained group, ginseng saponin did not raise any further the increased activity of serum ALT by training.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.91-99
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• 2012

Purpose: The aims of this study was to compare and evaluate the clinical characteristics, laboratory data, and prognosis for infants under age 1 year with CMV hepatitis and those with viral hepatitis of unknown etiology. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of infants under age 1 year who were admitted with acute hepatitis. The exclusion criteria consisted of: autoimmune, genetic, metabolic, toxic, HAV, HBV, HCV, toxoplasma, rubella, herpes simplex, and Epstein-Barr virus. The 30 patients included were divided into two groups based on markers for CMV (IgM anti-CMV, CMV PCR in urine, CMV culture in urine). Results: The median age of patients (n=15) was 2.8 months. No other organ involvement was detected in any patient. Peak serum total bilirubin levels (n=4) ranged from 2.6 to 6.7 mg/dL. Peak serum ALT levels ranged from 51 to 1,581 IU/L. The duration of ALT elevation ranged from 1.5 weeks to 26 weeks (median 9 weeks). All had recovered in full without ganciclovir; there were no cases of hearing loss. The median age of controls (n=15) was 2.5 months. Peak serum total bilirubin levels (n=4) ranged from 1.6 to 9.1 mg/dL. Peak serum ALT levels ranged from 26 to 1,794 IU/L. No significant differences were observed between both groups regarding the peak serum ALT levels, peak serum total bilirubin levels, duration of hyperbilirubinemia and ALT elevation. Conclusion: Although it was not possible to differentiate congenital infection with perinatal infection in this study, the prognosis of patients with CMV hepatitis without other organ involvement was good without ganciclovir treatment.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.22-32
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• 2004

Objectives: In order to determine the effect of CPs, experimental studies were performed in hyperlipidemia humans. The contents of serum total cholesterol, TG (triglyceride), LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, AST/ALT and BUN/creatinine were measured. Methods: We made a comparative study of total cholesterol, TG (triglyceride), LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, AST/ALT and BUN/creatinine during one month off and on for twenty patients with hyperlipidemia who visited Gunpo Oriental Medical Center of Wonkwang University from December 2002 to July 2003. Results: The following result were obtained: 1. The serum TG and total cholesterol of patients who took CPs for one month showed significant (p<0.01) decrease. 2. The serum HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol of patients who took CPs for one month showed significantly increase in HDL, and decrease in LDL (p<0.05). 3. The serum AST/ALT and BUN/creatinine of patients who took CPs for one month showed no significant effects. Conclusions: According to the results mentioned above, the effects of CPs on serum triglyceride and total cholesterol of hyperlipidemia patients were significantly confirmed for decreasing effects.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.117-121
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• 2010

Objective：The Herbal Remedy for Diabetes Mellitus-01 (HRDM-01) is composed of 11 species of medicinal plants. HRDM-01 is used as anti-hyperglycaemic agent. Anti-hyperglycaemic agents in western medicine often have hepatotoxicities. Therefore, we investigated safety of HRDM-01, especially in liver functions. Methods：We investigated the effects of HRDM-01 on liver function measuring serum AST, ALT and LDH levels and histopathological changes of liver tissue using photomicroscope. In addition, we also investigated the effects on serum lipid levels such as total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride. Results：In our experiment, single injection of streptozotocin elevated levels of AST and ALT in serum. But LDH level was not affected. In addition, our animal model showed elevated levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride in serum. 30 days treatment with HRDM-01 lowered serum AST level. Serum levels of ALT and LDH did not affected. In addition, HRDM-01 lowered serum triglyceride level significantly. In histopathological observation, we did not find any abnormal changes in all experimental groups. Conclusions：Briefly, HRDM-01 did not elevate serum levels of ALT, LDH, total cholesterol and did not affect histopathological changes in liver tissues. Moreover, HRDM-01 lowered serum AST, triglyceride, which are elevated by induction of diabetes mellitus. These results suggest the safety of HRDM-01 in diabetic treatment.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.253-257
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• 2004

The mechanisms by which leptospires caused disease are not well understood. A number of putative virulence factors have been suggested, but with few exceptions their role in pathogenesis remains unclear. In these days, many cases of leptospirosis are diagnosed by serological immunoassay. Leptospirosis is characterized by the histopathology of liver, kidney, heart, and lung, but the electrophoresis fractions of serum protein are not compared. We analyzed total protein, albumin, aspartic aminotranferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine and urea nitrogen (UN) in sera of patients diagnosed leptospirosis. Total protein and albumin were decreased in 18.5％ and 31.2％ of patients, respectively. AST, ALT, ALP, UN and creatinine were increased in 90.4％, 66.9％, 28.0％, 15.9％ and 10.8％ of patients, respectively. We performed cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis (EP) on sera of patients increased both of AST and ALT, and of patients increased both of creatinine and UN. In patients increased both of AST and ALT, and in patients increased both of AST and ALT, the relative percentage of albumin to total protein in patient serum was dcreased in 89.1 ％ of patients. α₁-globulin, α₂-globulin, β-globulin and γ-globulin were increased in 85.1 ％, 75.2％, 33.6％ and 98.0％ of patients, respectively. In patients increased both of creatinine and UN, the relative percentage of albumin to total protein in patient serum was dcreased in 93.8％ of patients. α₁-globulin, α₂-globulin, β-globulin and γ-globulin were increased in 87.5％, 100％, 31.2％ and 93.8％ of patients, respectively. These data indicate that infection of Leptospira causes severe liver damage to most of leptospirosis patients, but doesn't cause renal damage to most of them. The relative rate of serum protein electrophoresis fractions to total protein are not identical with them of typical hepatitis patient.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.25-38
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• 1986

This paper was intented to charily the cause of an increase of serum guanase activity in rats following injection of $CCI_4$. The cause of increasing serum guanase was focused on the change of guanase activities in both serum and liver, and additionally, these results were compared with the previously known alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Concomitantly the microscopic investigation on the histologic changes, and the determination of lipid peroxides of liver were combined in this experiment for a correlation to observe that the activity of guanase would be effected by the various degree of hepatic injury induced by $CCI_4$. The serum levels of guanase were increased about 2 fold in the fatty change stage (3-12 days), 5.2 fold representing the peak value in necrosis stage (21days), 4.5 fold in early cirrhosis stage (48 days), and 2 fold in severe cirrhosis stage (92 days). These changes of serum guanase activity showed similar patterns to those of ALT activity and lipid peroxides in liver cell. The changes of liver guanase activities showed an increase, whereas ALT activities in liver were markedly decreased. It is likely that the increase of serum guanase activity is based on the excess leaking of guanase into blood by the result of accelerated enzyme synthesis in liver cell of $CCI_4$ intoxicated rats. In addition, the possibility could not be ruled out, however, that the increase of serum guanase activity would be caused by the alteration of membrane permeability.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.162-169
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• 2014

Purpose: To study temporal pattern of serum liver enzymes levels in newborns with hepatic injury associated with birth asphyxia (BA). Methods: Singleton term newborns with BA and ${\leq}72$ hours of age admitted to neonatal intensive care unit were prospectively enrolled. Term newborns with physiological jaundice and without BA were studied as controls. Serum liver enzymes were measured at <24 hours, 24-72 hours, and at 6-12 days of age for cases and at 1-6 days of age for controls. BA was defined by 1 minute Apgar score <7 or delayed or absent cry with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. BA-associated liver injury was defined as serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevation beyond +2 standard deviation (ALT > +2 SD) above the mean of control subjects at any of the three time points. Results: Sixty controls and 62 cases were enrolled. Thirty-five cases (56%) developed BA-associated liver injury (ALT>81 IU/L). They had higher serum levels of ALT, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase than the control infants, with peak at 24-72 hours. In controls, serum liver enzyme levels were significantly higher in appropriate-for-date (AFD) babies than small-for-date (SFD) babies. Serum enzyme pattern and extent of elevation were comparable between SFD and AFD babies. Degree of serum liver enzyme elevation had no relationship with severity of hypoxic encephalopathy. Conclusion: Serum liver enzyme elevation is common in BA; it peaks at 24-72 hours followed by a sharp decline by 6-12 days of age. Pattern and extent of enzyme elevation are comparable between SFD and AFD babies.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.174-182
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• 2003

Purpose: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been recognized as an important childhood liver disease, especially where the prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing. The purpose of this study is to clarify the usefulness of elevated serum aminotransferase activities and their ratio for predicting the presence of fatty liver and its severity in obese children. Methods: Forty-four children (M/F 29/15, age 4 to 16 years) with obesity (weight excess>20%) were analyzed retrospectively with medical records based on degree of obesity, bioelectrical impedence, serum aminotransferase activities, lipid profiles and ultrasonography. Results: 1) Ultrasonography was carried out in 34 cases. Elevated serum ALT was found in 89.7% (26/29) of the patients diagnosed as fatty liver by ultrasonography and decreased AST/ALT ratio (<1) was found in 96.6% (28/29). There was a strong correlation between elevated serum ALT (>45 IU/L) or decreased AST/ALT ratio (<1) and the fatty liver in obese children (p<0.05). 2) There was no significant correlation between the serum ALT or AST/ALT ratio and the degree of fatty liver (p>0.05). 3) There was a significant correlation between total cholesterol, triglyceride and fatty liver (p<0.05). Conclusion: Serum ALT activity and AST/ALT ratio were useful to predict the presence of fatty liver diagnosed by ultrasonography in obese children, whereas they were not useful to predict the degree of fatty liver. Therefore, to prevent fatty liver progressing to advanced liver disease, it is necessary to manage and monitor the obese children continuously, especially those who have predicting factors of fatty liver.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.9
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• pp.362-367
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the effect of lifestyle intervention on NAFLD. Methods: The clinical data of 86 children diagnosed with NAFLD were reviewed retrospectively. Forty-six patients belonged to the elevated ALT group and 40 to the normal ALT group. The clinical parameters of patients with NAFLD were also compared based on the status of ALT levels after lifestyle intervention. Results: Patients with elevated ALT had significantly higher body mass index (BMI) scores than those with normal ALT (P<0.05). Of all the patients with elevated ALT, 89% exhibited moderate or severe degree of fatty change in the liver on ultrasonographic examination, whereas most patients with normal ALT exhibited mild or moderate degree changes. Liver biopsy was performed in 15 children with elevated ALT and all showed mild histological changes. Of all patients with elevated ALT, 49% achieved normal ALT levels after lifestyle intervention. Those with more severe histological changes tended to have continuously increasing ALT levels. There was no correlation between the normalization of posttreatment ALT level and BMI, as well as ultrasonographic findings at diagnosis. Conclusion: ALT elevation in NAFLD is highly associated with higher BMI scores and more severe degree of fatty changes on ultrasonographic examination. Lifestyle intervention can significantly improve ALT in children with NAFLD. The degree of histologic changes appears to be a predictor of the treatment response to NAFLD.