The association of low serum alanine aminotransferase activity with mortality in the US population.

ABSTRACT: Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, an important marker of liver injury, has been associated inconsistently with higher mortality. We evaluated whether persons with nonelevated ALT levels are the most appropriate comparison group by examining the relationships of low ALT with mortality and body composition in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). In NHANES 1988-1994, the mortality risk of persons in ALT deciles 1, 2, 3, and 10 was compared with that of persons in deciles 4-9 (mortality was relatively flat across these deciles) over an 18-year period (through 2006) among 14,950 viral-hepatitis-negative adults. In NHANES 1999-2006, low ALT was evaluated in association with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry body composition measures among 15,028 adults

SUBMITTER: Ruhl CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3858105 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature