Differentiate between the reference interval and the clinical diagnosis and treatment decision threshold for alanine aminotransferase

Abstract

The debate about whether the upper limit of normal for ALT should be lowered has been going on for nearly 20 years. However, the concept, the establishment method, and the application scope of reference interval are different from those of the clinical diagnosis and treatment decision threshold. We will differentiate the two concepts and review the related publications to help clinicians better apply the reference interval and the decision threshold for disease diagnosis and treatment.