Prevalence of elevated liver enzymes and comorbidities in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity

Abstract

Aim: We investigated the prevalence of elevated liver aminotransferases (ALT) and additional comorbidities in a large cohort of Israeli children and adolescents with overweight and obesity.

Methods: This study included data from medical records of 2- to 18-year-old children and adolescents, with body mass index (BMI) in the overweight or obesity range (WHO definitions), for whom ALT testing was performed.

Results: Overweight was present in 50 418 (10.7%) and obesity in 70 515 (15.0%). Elevated ALT, above 30 IU/L (0.51 μkat/L), was reported in 2245 (7.2%) of children with overweight and 5475 (16.8%) of children with obesity (P < .0001). Compared to children with overweight and obesity and ALT within normal range, children with elevated ALT were older (11.9 ± 4.2 vs 10.9 ± 4.2, P < .001), mostly male (68.0% vs 49.4%, P < .001) and had higher BMI (27.3 ± 6.1vs 24.0 ± 4.8, P < .001). They also had a more unfavourable cardiometabolic profile with significantly higher either systolic or diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and triglycerides, and had more than three criteria defining metabolic syndrome.

Conclusion: In this large cohort, abnormally elevated ALT was present in a high number of individuals with overweight or obesity. The children and adolescents with abnormal ALT had higher BMI, were older, male and had more cardiometabolic risk factors.

Keywords: alanine aminotransferase; children; comorbidities; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; obesity.