Consider muscle disease in children with elevated transaminase.
J Am Board Fam Med
; 25(4): 536-40, 2012.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22773723
ABSTRACT
The transaminases alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) are markers of hepatocellular injury but are highly concentrated in muscle cells. Consequently, muscular dystrophies such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, lead to hypertransaminasemia. Elevation in ALT and AST is most striking during the early stages of disease, before onset of or when only subtle signs of muscle disease are present. Thus, the incidental finding of elevated ALT/AST may be the presenting sign of muscle disease in many children and provides an opportunity for early diagnosis. Many physicians, however, pursue extensive workup for liver disease in children who present with the incidental finding of elevated ALT/AST. This results in delayed diagnosis and initiation of treatment and increased expense and may lead to unnecessary invasive procedures. We report 12 patients with muscle disease who presented with a variety of symptoms and were found to have an incidental finding of elevated ALT/AST. We propose a rapid screening process for evaluating children with the incidental finding of elevated ALT/AST to shorten the time to diagnosis of muscle disease.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Aspartato Aminotransferases
/
Alanina Transaminase
/
Distrofias Musculares
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Screening_studies
Limite:
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
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Infant
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2012
Tipo de documento:
Article