Macro-Aspartate Aminotransferase and Its Laboratory Detection: A Case Report
Background. Increased enzyme activity in human blood serum is usually associated with the existence of disease. On the other hand, enzyme activity can also be elevated in the presence of benign conditions, such as macro-enzymes. Macro-enzymes could lead to highly unnecessary and invasive procedures...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Vilnius University Press
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Acta Medica Lituanica |
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| Online Access: | https://www.journals.vu.lt/AML/article/view/31990 |
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| author | Goda Aleknavičiūtė-Valienė Linas Černiauskas Mantas Riauka Dalius Vitkus |
| author_facet | Goda Aleknavičiūtė-Valienė Linas Černiauskas Mantas Riauka Dalius Vitkus |
| author_sort | Goda Aleknavičiūtė-Valienė |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Background. Increased enzyme activity in human blood serum is usually associated with the existence of disease. On the other hand, enzyme activity can also be elevated in the presence of benign conditions, such as macro-enzymes. Macro-enzymes could lead to highly unnecessary and invasive procedures which may cause complications to the patient and an extra cost for the hospital. Therefore, it is important to diagnose this condition in order to avoid unnecessary clinical tests.
Case Presentation. We present a case of a 71-year-old asymptomatic female with persistent elevation of AST who was referred to our hospital for additional testing for underlying liver disease. By using polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation assay, we were able to identify macro-AST. This helped to avoid the high-risk liver biopsy procedure.
Conclusion. In the case of an isolated elevation of AST activity with no clinical indications of liver disease, diagnostic work-up for macro-AST should always be considered by physicians.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-684da19efafd4cd6b15d4e196f389b3f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1392-0138 2029-4174 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Vilnius University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Medica Lituanica |
| spelling | doaj-art-684da19efafd4cd6b15d4e196f389b3f2025-01-20T18:08:06ZengVilnius University PressActa Medica Lituanica1392-01382029-41742023-10-0130210.15388/Amed.2023.30.2.10Macro-Aspartate Aminotransferase and Its Laboratory Detection: A Case ReportGoda Aleknavičiūtė-Valienė0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0814-7720Linas Černiauskas1Mantas Riauka2Dalius Vitkus3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0912-4125Center of Laboratory Medicine, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Santariškių str. 2, LT-08661 Vilnius, LithuaniaDepartment of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio str. 21/27, LT-03101 Vilnius, LithuaniaCenter of Internal Diseases, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Santariškių str. 2, LT-08661 Vilnius, LithuaniaCenter of Laboratory Medicine, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Santariškių str. 2, LT-08661 Vilnius, Lithuania; Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio str. 21/27, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania Background. Increased enzyme activity in human blood serum is usually associated with the existence of disease. On the other hand, enzyme activity can also be elevated in the presence of benign conditions, such as macro-enzymes. Macro-enzymes could lead to highly unnecessary and invasive procedures which may cause complications to the patient and an extra cost for the hospital. Therefore, it is important to diagnose this condition in order to avoid unnecessary clinical tests. Case Presentation. We present a case of a 71-year-old asymptomatic female with persistent elevation of AST who was referred to our hospital for additional testing for underlying liver disease. By using polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation assay, we were able to identify macro-AST. This helped to avoid the high-risk liver biopsy procedure. Conclusion. In the case of an isolated elevation of AST activity with no clinical indications of liver disease, diagnostic work-up for macro-AST should always be considered by physicians. https://www.journals.vu.lt/AML/article/view/31990macro-ASTPEG precipitationmacro-enzymesliver |
| spellingShingle | Goda Aleknavičiūtė-Valienė Linas Černiauskas Mantas Riauka Dalius Vitkus Macro-Aspartate Aminotransferase and Its Laboratory Detection: A Case Report Acta Medica Lituanica macro-AST PEG precipitation macro-enzymes liver |
| title | Macro-Aspartate Aminotransferase and Its Laboratory Detection: A Case Report |
| title_full | Macro-Aspartate Aminotransferase and Its Laboratory Detection: A Case Report |
| title_fullStr | Macro-Aspartate Aminotransferase and Its Laboratory Detection: A Case Report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Macro-Aspartate Aminotransferase and Its Laboratory Detection: A Case Report |
| title_short | Macro-Aspartate Aminotransferase and Its Laboratory Detection: A Case Report |
| title_sort | macro aspartate aminotransferase and its laboratory detection a case report |
| topic | macro-AST PEG precipitation macro-enzymes liver |
| url | https://www.journals.vu.lt/AML/article/view/31990 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT godaaleknaviciutevaliene macroaspartateaminotransferaseanditslaboratorydetectionacasereport AT linascerniauskas macroaspartateaminotransferaseanditslaboratorydetectionacasereport AT mantasriauka macroaspartateaminotransferaseanditslaboratorydetectionacasereport AT daliusvitkus macroaspartateaminotransferaseanditslaboratorydetectionacasereport |