McMaster Textbook of Internal Medicine

McMaster Textbook of Internal Medicine
Interviews
Gastroenterology
ALT and AST to exclude HBV and HCV infections

ALT and AST to exclude HBV and HCV infections

2019-12-19

Philip N. Newsome

Recorded at the 5th McMaster International Review Course in Internal Medicine (MIRCIM).

Dr Philip N. Newsome is a professor of experimental hepatology and director of the Centre for Liver and Gastrointestinal Research at the University of Birmingham and secretary general of the European Association for the Study of the Liver.

Do normal levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) exclude infection with hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses?

Philip N. Newsome, MBChB, PhD: We know that liver blood tests can be abnormal in the setting of liver disease, but we also know that you can have normal liver blood tests and yet still have infection and significant fibrosis. The key thing is looking at the clinical situation rather than the blood tests in isolation.

See also

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Fecal microbiota transplantation in IBS Is fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) beneficial for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
CDI prevention in the ICU How can we prevent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in the intensive care unit (ICU)?
Management of GERD and Barrett esophagus A lecture by Dr Janusz Jankowski, from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Ireland, delivered at McMaster International Review Course in Internal Medicine in Kraków in May 2018.
Use and misuse of long-term proton pump inhibitors A lecture by Dr Paul Moayyedi, from McMaster University, Canada, delivered at McMaster International Review Course in Internal Medicine in Kraków in May 2018.
Assessing the effectiveness of oral pancreatic enzyme supplementation How should we assess the effectiveness of oral supplementation of pancreatic enzymes?
Preferred surgical treatment for Barrett esophagus Which of the available surgical treatment options in patients with Barrett esophagus is the preferred one?
IBS and traveler’s diarrhea What is the risk of irritable bowel syndrome after traveler’s diarrhea? How can it be prevented?

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