Computing tools for analysing the pathological levels of serum transaminases

Abstract

Aim: Serum transaminases are frequently tested for diagnostic purposes by comparing them with the considered normal values. The aim of this study was to carry out a detailed analysis on the pathological values of serum transaminases, recorded in the medical practice of the Cluj area. Material and method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with trainee doctors working in Cluj-Napoca hospitals, between 2004 and 2010. The common database, the descriptive statistic and tools for an extended analysis were conducted in Excel. Results: In the survey’s cumulative sample of 1 725 hospitalised patients, 52.6% were male, 63.1% from urban area, with a mean age of 28.5 years and hospitalized for 12.7 days on average. During a hospitalization, the serum enzymes were repeated up to 15 times. Median levels ranged from 265 to 960 IU/L for alanine transaminase (ALT) and from 117 to 685 IU/L for aspartate transaminase (AST). The main diagnoses were hepatitis A (51.2% of cases), acute or chronic hepatitis B (17.4%) and C (6%). Levels four times higher than threshold values were reached only in the first quartile for ALT, and from the second in the case of AST. Conclusion: The serum transaminases are frequently monitored during a hospitalization, mainly leading to a diagnosis of primary or secondary hepatitis. However, one in six patients remains without a complete diagnosis and for a quarter of patients the diagnosis accuracy is questionable. More evaluations are needed for selecting appropriate measures to improve the diagnostic performance.