[Clinical, biochemical and epidemiological features of macro-AST preceding inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis by several years]

Abstract

Introduction: An isolated elevation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) is a diagnostic issue. Macro-aspartate aminotransferase (macro-AST) corresponds to the formation of complexes between AST and immunoglobulins.

Case report: We report the case of a patient with macro-AST identified several years before the onset of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A 6-year retrospective analysis in our laboratory identified only one case out of 42 540 adult patients.

Conclusion: The objective of this work is to increase awareness of this benign disorder among clinicians and biologists, as well as to aid in prescribing only the required tests.

Keywords: Aspartate aminotransferase; Aspartate aminotransférase; Inflammatory bowel disease; Macro-ASAT; Macro-AST; Macro-enzyme; Maladies inflammatoires chroniques de l’intestin.