Author/Authors :
Maan, Wajiha Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology - Hepatology and Nutrition - Golisano Children Hospital - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse New York, USA , Ann Warsi, Qurratul Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics - University of California and San Francisco - San Francisco - California, USA , Rashed, Avideh Department of Pediatrics - Golisano Children's Hospital, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA , Karjoo, Manoochehr Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology - Hepatology and Nutrition - Golisano Children Hospital - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse New York, USA
Abstract :
Elevated enzyme activities in plasma may at times be attributed to the presence of macro-enzymes. The macro-enzymes are often serum enzymes in complex with immunoglobulins, resulting in a greater molecular mass that cannot be filtered by renal glomeruli and are, hence, retained in the plasma. The aspartate aminotransferase (AST) can exist as a macro-enzyme, although it has been rarely reported.
We describe a pediatric patient with persistently elevated serum AST activity, due to macro-enzyme formation between AST and an immunoglobulin. This is to highlight the importance of early diagnosis of macro-AST in an otherwise asymptomatic pediatric patient with isolated AST-elevation and to avoid unnecessary costly testing.
Keywords :
Macro-Enzymes , Child , Aspartate Aminotransferase , Alkaline phosphatase , Alanine
