A rare cause for elevated serum aspartate aminotransferase

Abstract

Increased serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) may be due to several conditions, such as viral hepatitis, alcohol-related liver disease, cirrhosis, cholestatic syndromes, cardiac, renal, or muscular diseases, drug or alcohol consumption, and haemolytic anaemia.^1,2

Asymptomatic elevation of AST alone is uncommon. A rare cause can be an increase in the presence of macro-AST, a macro enzyme. These are high molecular mass complexes containing enzymes, immunoglobulins (mainly IgG and IgM) or other plasma components and form due to immune dysregulation.³