Now that routine laboratory testing is automated and is frequently
part of an annual checkup, physicians are often faced with the
problem of a patient with one abnormal result on measurement
of serum aminotransferases or alkaline phosphatase but no symptoms.
Many batteries of screening tests now include measurement of
serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase,
alkaline phosphatase, and
-glutamyltransferase. Although these
enzymes are present in tissues throughout the body, they are
most often elevated in patients with liver disease and may reflect
liver injury.
The first step in the evaluation of a patient with elevated
liver-enzyme levels but no symptoms is
. . .
Full Text of this Article]