Increased transaminases - Causes and Symptoms

Related articles: Increased transaminases

Definition

Transaminases (or aminotransaminases) are a group of enzymes responsible for transferring the amino group (-NH ₂ ) from one amino acid to another accepting molecule that is free of it (called α-ketoacid). This "exchange" of amino groups is very important for the metabolism, since it allows to dispose of the excess amino acids transforming them into molecules that can be easily used for energy purposes or in other amino acids that the body needs.

The most important transaminases are alanine aminotransferase (ALT or GPT) and aspartate aminotransferase (GOT or AST).

Transaminases are present in various tissues, but are mainly concentrated in the liver and, to a lesser extent, in the heart, muscles and skeleton. Therefore, any cause causing damage to these tissues also causes release into the blood circulation of transaminases, with an increase in their plasma concentration.

Extremely high values of transaminases in the blood (increase in value> 10 times the norm) may indicate acute necrosis of liver cells, damage due to acute hepatitis of viral origin or induced by drugs (or toxins), rejection in the case of transplantation, metabolic hepatopathies, ischemic damage or hepatic infarction.

Modest increases (value> 5 and <10 times the norm) are found in cases of chronic viral hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, hepatic steatosis, Wilson's disease and biliary obstruction.

Minor increases (value> 1 and <5 times the norm) occur in the case of liver cirrhosis, non-alcoholic steatosis (fatty liver) and cholestatic disorders.

As regards extra-hepatic causes, the increase in transaminases may be due to hypothyroidism, celiac disease, food allergies, chronic intestinal diseases, dehydration, heat stroke, acute pancreatitis, myocardial infarction and musculoskeletal trauma.