Formerly Called Serum Glutamate-Oxaloacetate Transaminase (SGOT)
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)
Formerly Called Serum Glutamate-Pyruvate Transaminase (SGPT)
Origin of Transaminases (Aminotransferases)
Liver: AST and ALT
Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle: AST only
Thyroid: AST only
Indications
Diagnosis of Liver Disease
Sensitivity/Specificity of Transaminases (Especially ALT) for the Differentiation of Liver Disease from Other Disorders Depends on the Cutoff Value Chosen to Define an Abnormal Result
ALT Levels Correlate with the Degree of Abdominal Adiposity Vary Between the Sexes
AST and ALT Upper Limits of Normal Vary Between Laboratories: due to differing reference standards used
Optimal ALT Cutoff Value (Male): 29 IU/L (Hepatology, 2012) [MEDLINE]
Optimal ALT Cutoff Value (Female): 22 IU/L (Hepatology, 2012) [MEDLINE]
References
Upper limits of normal for alanine aminotransferase activity in the United States population. Hepatology. 2012;55(2):447 [MEDLINE]
