Liver function tests predict risk of death in HIV patients

Edwin J. Bernard
Estimated reading time 1 minutes
This article is more than 22 years old.

US researchers have

found that liver function tests significantly

predicted survival independently of CD4 count and

Glossary

liver function test (LFT)

A test that measures the blood serum level of any of several enzymes (eg, AST and ALT) produced by the liver. An elevated liver function test result is a sign of possible liver damage.

enzyme

A protein which speeds up a chemical reaction.

alanine aminotransferase (ALT)

An enzyme found primarily in the liver. Alanine aminotransferase may be measured as part of a liver function test. Abnormally high blood levels of ALT are a sign of liver inflammation or damage from infection or drugs.

viral load. In a collaboration of research from two different

cohorts at seven US sites presented today at the Fourteenth International AIDS Conference in Barcelona, statistical analysis of

the CHORUS database of nearly 6000 persons and the VACS 3

database of almost 900 found that measurements of

aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine

aminotransferase (ALT) of twice the upper limit were

strongly associated with decreased survival, and

even mild to moderate elevations of liver fuction

tests were associated with poorer outcome, independent of hepatitis C infection (a common cause of liver enzyme elevation).

Since elevated liver tests can be caused by a variety

of factors, including alcohol use, viral hepatitis and

HAART itself, and are common amongst those with HIV

infection, the researchers conclude that management of

elevated liver enzymes deserves more clinical attention.

References

Justice AC et al. HIV survival: liver function tests independently predict survival. XIV International AIDS Conference, Barcelona, abstract MoOrB1058, 2002.

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