Serum Aspartate Aminotransferase Concentrations Research Articles

Clinical Course of Chronic Lobular Hepatitis<subtitle>REPORT OF FIVE CASES</subtitle>

The clinical course, and biochemical, immunological, and liver histological changes in five patients with chronic lobular hepatitis are described. All were male (ages 17 to 44 years) and presented with an acute viral hepatitis-like illness. In two of these patients liver function tests have never returned entirely to normal and in both prednisone has been necessary to maintain control of the disease. In the other three the subsequent clinical course has been characterized by remission and relapse. Up to four relapses have occurred with a return of symptoms and strikingly high serum aspartate aminotransferase concentrations (844 to 2800 iu/l), and two of the three patients have required prednisone to induce remission. The remissions appear to be complete and have lasted for up to five years. During relapse the changes in liver histology on biopsy have invariably been indistinguishable from those of acute viral hepatitis, no case showing progression to cirrhosis even after eight and a half years. All cases had non-organ specific auto-antibodies (antinuclear, antimitochondrial, or anti-smooth muscle) demonstrable in the serum and four had hyperglobulinaemia (52 to 79 g/l). These findings together with the initial presentation, the changes on liver biopsy, and the relapsing course would all be consistent with a persistent virus infection.

A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF HEPATOCELLULAR FUNCTION AFTER REPEATED EXPOSURES TO HALOTHANE OR ENFLURANE IN WOMEN UNDERGOING RADIUM THERAPY FOR CERVICAL CANCER

Ninety-nine Black females receiving radium therapy for carcinoma of the cervix uteri under either halothane (50 patients) or enflurane (49 patients) anaesthesia were studied. Thirty-six received a second and 13 a third exposure to halothane or enflurane. There were no significant changes from the control values in the serum concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase (s.g.o.t.), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (gammaGT), lactic dehydrogenase (SLD), alkaline phosphatase (SAP) and proteins. Total serum bilirubin (TSB) decreased significantly during the first exposure to enflurane (P less than 0.01). This trend was reversed with subsequent anaesthetics in both the halothane and enflurane groups.