Pattern of Liver Function Tests in Spectrum of Acute Viral Hepatitis

Liver Function Tests in Acute Viral Hepatitis

Abstract

Objective: To find out the pattern of Liver Function tests (LFTs) in different spectrums of Acute Viral Hepatitis (AVH).
Study Design: Cross sectional.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Pathology Department of Combined Military Hospital, Malir Karachi from March 2017 to August 2017.
Materials and Methods: A total of 360 subjects of all age groups, both male and female, with biochemical features of acute viral hepatitis (AVH) were included. After clinical history and examination, liver function tests (LFTs) were performed that included total bilirubin, alanine amino transferases (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), followed by viral markers for hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV).
Results: Among the 360 patients studied, males (n=308, 86%) outnumbered females (n=52, 14%). Biochemical pattern showed ALT value reaching >75 times the upper limit of normal (ULN). Similarly rise of serum total bilirubin was up to 30 times of ULN while rise of serum ALP was not more than 5 times of ULN. HEV was found to be the most common (28%) in seropositive AVH in the study group. Highest number (24.4%) of HEV infection was found among males in the age group of 20-30 years. ALT and bilirubin were significantly raised in patients with HEV as compared to other causes of AVH.
Conclusion: Pattern of LFTs varies in spectrum of AVH. Highest rise of ALT indicates extensive liver damage in HEV infection.

How to cite this: Yousaf S, Younas M, Murtaza M, Akhtar F, Jaffar SR, Ijaz A. Pattern of Liver Function Test in Spectrum of Acute Viral Hepatitis. Life and Science. 2020; 1(1): 29-33.  doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.38