Importance of Aminotransferase Elevation in Detecting Myopathy

I read with interest the expert review of myopathies by Drs. Domingo-Horne and Salajegheh published in a recent issue of the Journal.1 Indeed, when myopathy is specifically suspected, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels are less useful markers than serum creatine kinase. However, it is worth mentioning that aminotransferases are frequently noted to be elevated incidentally and may be the first clue to yet-unsuspected myopathy. A failure to consider skeletal muscle as a source of their elevation can lead to unnecessary evaluation for hepatic pathology and a missed opportunity for timely diagnosis of a muscle disorder.
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Letter Source Type: research