Liver enzyme levels in viral hepatitis

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.

What are the practical implications of measurements of serum liver enzyme levels in the course of viral hepatitis?

Philip N. Newsome, MBChB, PhD: In the setting of viral hepatitis liver enzymes will of course be measured, but the key thing is measuring virological indices that tell you about the level of virus. The liver enzymes can be normal and yet there can be infection. Therefore, you should be driven by clinical suspicion and viral levels.