Elevated liver transaminase levels in children with blunt abdominal trauma: a predictor of liver injury

Abstract

The medical records of 43 hemodynamically stable children with elevated serum transaminase levels (aspartate aminotransferase [AST] and alanine aminotransferase [ALT]) who underwent abdominal computed tomographic (CT) scan for blunt abdominal trauma were reviewed. Nineteen patients (44.2%) had AST levels greater than 450 IU/L and ALT levels greater than 250 IU/L, and 17 of these 19 patients had hepatic injury identified on abdominal CT scan. Of the 43 patients, 25 (58.1%) had AST and ALT levels of less than 450 IU/L and 250 IU/L, respectively, and none of these patients had evidence of hepatic injury on CT scan. Elevated serum transaminase levels (AST greater than 450 IU/L and ALT greater than 250 IU/L) identified all of the patients with hepatic injury visible on abdominal CT scan. The sensitivity and specificity of elevated serum transaminase levels were 100% and 92.3%, respectively, for predicting hepatic injury. It is recommended that hemodynamically stable pediatric patients with blunt abdominal trauma and AST levels greater than 450 IU/L and/or ALT levels greater than 250 IU/L undergo abdominal CT scan to determine the presence and extent of hepatic injury. Children with serum transaminase levels below these values are at decreased risk of liver injury.