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Aitokari L, Lahti S, Kivelä L, Riekki H, Hiltunen P, Vuorela N, Viitasalo A, Soininen S, Huhtala H, Lakka T, Kurppa K. Alanine aminotransferase cutoffs for the pediatric fatty liver disease: Major impact of the reference population. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2024; 78:488-496. [PMID: 38314943 DOI: 10.1002/jpn3.12040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES AND STUDY The often-recommended alanine aminotransferase (ALT) cutoffs (girls 21 U/l, boys 25 U/l) are based on a NHANES cohort. A novel concept of metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) emphasizes the role of ALT. We tested the prevalence of increased ALT and MASLD in children with overweight or obesity applying population-based and NHANES-based cut-offs. METHODS Six- to seventeen-year-old children underwent data collection in a prospective Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) study. ALT 95th percentiles were calculated from 1167 separate measurements considering various confounders. Test cohort comprised 1044 children with overweight/obesity. RESULTS ALT values increased at puberty onset (p = 0.031) and correlated negatively with age in girls (r = -0.222, p < 0.001). Particularly overall and central obesity increased ALT, whereas underweight or metabolic abnormalities had smaller effect. After applying the tested exclusions, the age-related ALT 95th percentiles were 24-29 U/l for girls and 29-32 U/l for boys. In 6-8-year-old children with overweight/obesity, the prevalence of increased ALT and MASLD were 21.6% and 2.4% with age-specific PANIC cutoffs. In older children, when NHANES-based cutoffs were used, there was a trend for higher prevalence of increased ALT and MASLD in all age groups for both sexes, reaching significance for increased ALT in 12-16-year-old boys (NHANES 63.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 56.4%-70.0% vs. PANIC 47.1%, 95% CI [40.1%-54.2%]) and 9-11-year-old girls (60.0% [49.4%-69.8%] vs. 31.8% [22.8%-42.3%]), respectively. Increased ALT/MASLD were more common in boys than in girls, and in boys these increased with age, whereas in girls these peaked at age 9-12 years. CONCLUSION A reference population impacts on the prevalence of increased ALT and MASLD. Considering this help optimizing screening while avoiding unnecessary investigations and surveillance. The prospective part of this study is registered in clinicaltrials.gov; identifier NCT01803776.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linnea Aitokari
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Siiri Lahti
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Laura Kivelä
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Department of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
- Children's Hospital and Pediatric Research Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hanna Riekki
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Pauliina Hiltunen
- Department of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Nina Vuorela
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Anna Viitasalo
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sonja Soininen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Physician and Nursing Services, Health and Social Services Centre, Wellbeing Services County of North Savo, Varkaus, Finland
| | - Heini Huhtala
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Timo Lakka
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
- Kuopio Research Institute of Exercise Medicine, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Kalle Kurppa
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Department of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
- The University Consortium of Seinäjoki, Seinäjoki, Finland
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