| Sub-title | |
| Authors | P Ellul M Vassallo |
| Abstract | Aim: To determine the causes of liver enzyme derangement in patients referred to our gastroenterology clinic Method: Retrospective audit, with 83 consecutive patients between August 2004 and July 2005. Results: There were 51 male patients (61.4%) and 32 female patients (38.6%). NAFLD was diagnosed in 45 patients (54.2%), 26 being males. The mean age was 50.4 years and the mean BMI was 31.2 kg/m. Ten patients were between 30-45 years of age. Four of these had raised triglycerides. 35 were older than 45 years. Ten of these were hypertensive; 6 had type 2 diabetes mellitus; 3 patients were hypertensive and had raised triglycerides; 2 patients were hypertensive, had type 2 DM and raised triglycerides. The other causes for derangement of liver enzymes were: a. Alcoholic liver disease (15.7%, Mean age - 52.6 years); b. Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (10.8%, mean age-59.8 years); c. Chronic Hepatitis C (7.2%, mean age - 58.5 years); d. Haemochromatosis (4.9%, mean age- 39.5 years); e. Autoimmune hepatitis (2.4%, mean age - 51.5 years); f. Gallstones (2.4%, mean age - 47 years); g. Chronic Hepatitis B and Haemochromatosis. (1.2%); h. drug-induced (1.2%). The mean BMI in the non-NAFLD group was 24.7 kg/m. Conclusion: Our audit demonstrates that NAFLD was by far the most common cause for derangement of liver enzymes in this population. Its worldwide prevalence is estimated to vary between 3% and 24%. NAFLD is considered to be the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. This may progress from steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatatis and its clinical consequences of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Thus it is important to understand this condition as a common burden of disease if effective strategies to control it are to be devised as part of public health initiatives. |
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| Journal | Malta Medical Journal |
| Volume | 15 Issue 1-2/suppl. 2003 |
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| Key words | audit, body mass index, liver enzymes, non alcoholic fatty liver |