Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)

Alanine aminotransferase Latest News

The Union Health Ministry has urged people to monitor alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels as an early indicator of liver injury.

About Alanine aminotransferase

• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), also known as serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), is an enzyme found predominantly inside liver cells, though it exists in other parts of your body. 
• It plays a key role in the metabolism of amino acids, breaking them down to produce energy for the body’s essential functions. 
• Usually, you will have low levels of ALT in your blood. But when liver cells are damaged due to conditions like inflammation, infection, or injury, the enzyme leaks into the bloodstream. 
• High levels of ALT in your blood may be a sign of a liver injury or disease.  
• However, since ALT is also present in smaller amounts in other parts of the body, an elevated ALT level does not necessarily indicate liver disease and should prompt further evaluation to identify the source of the abnormality.
• ALT is one component of the liver function test, which includes other liver enzymes and measures of liver function. 
• Although ALT is a sensitive indicator of ongoing liver injury, patients can still have significant liver disease despite normal ALT values.
• ALT testing is performed on a blood sample, with results typically available within a few hours. 
• Although many laboratories consider ALT levels below 40 units per litre as normal, interpretation depends on the patient’s condition. 
  • For example, lower thresholds are often applied in people with chronic hepatitis B or C.

News: TH

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