Large-scale population analysis reveals an extremely low threshold for "non-healthy" alanine aminotransferase that predicts diabetes mellitus.

Background And Aims: Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is commonly used to detect liver damage. Recent studies indicate that ALT levels at the upper range of normal limits are predictors of adverse outcomes, especially diabetes mellitus (DM) and the metabolic syndrome. The aim of our study was to define the ALT threshold for both men and women that may predict the onset of DM.

Re-evaluation of serum alanine aminotransferase upper normal limit and its modulating factors in a large-scale population study.

Background: The upper normal limit (ULN) of serum alanine-aminotrasferase (ALT) normal range was recently challenged, because patients diagnosed with liver diseases may have 'normal' or near-'normal' ALT levels, and because possible modulators are often ignored in determining normal range.

Aim: To estimate the ULN for serum ALT and to identify factors modulating it.

Subjects And Methods: We reviewed medical records of subjects aged 15-90, who underwent standard panels of laboratory tests, including serum ALT, over 6 months at a central laboratory.