Blood results

[Mrspoopoohead]

Would anyone be able to explain whether a value of 54 for ALT is concerning? My DH has had this come back in some recent tests.

Normal is up to 36, so it’s elevated.
Is he an alcoholic, has he recovered or neither of the above?

He drinks heavily and every day so yes I’d say he’s an alcoholic.

@Mrspoopoohead - this is copied from another thread about blood results I recently replied to so just to give the context.

ALT on it’s own doesn’t really mean anything in cases of alcohol misuse – it’s the AST:ALT ratio that is a marker of alcohol related liver disease. A normal AST:ALT ratio should be less than 1. In people with alcohol related liver disease, the AST:ALT ratio is highly likely to be greater than 1.

GGT is a marker of prolonged, chronic alcohol intake. The blood test the DVLC use to determine if someone should get their license back or not is CDT (carbohydrate deficient transferrin) which is much more sensitive and specific and therefore a stronger indicator of alcohol use/misuse – but also more expensive to do so it’s not done routinely on the NHS.

So essentially- he needs more info to know if he has alcohol related liver damage.

I would also add that a person’s liver profile can still be relatively normal even if they are abusing alcohol and even if there is some liver damage. So he shouldn’t use “okay” blood results to say it’s okay to keep abusing alcohol as it’s false security.

Thank you so much for your reply as that was the only result I saw I will have to make sure I go with him to his next appt and ask the GP.

You’re welcome. I am the problem drinker in our family so no judgement. Will your DH be ready to hear /acknowledge he possibly has a drinking problem?

Very true. DH's results a year ago were apparently not too concerning, but he died of cirrhosis two weeks ago.

@LawksaMercyMissus - sorry to hear about your DH. Even at my worst level of binge drinking (40 bottles vodka in 2 months plus wine) my bloods were only very slightly abnormal. I did however develop off the scale hypertension and that is now normalising since there’s been longer between binges (10 days to several months between them) so it’s not just the liver bloods that can indicate a problem.

I’m so sorry for your loss

I don’t think so I think he knows but isn’t overly bothered. Incidentally he has also recently become type 2 diabetic which is being managed by diet and has high blood pressure which he is being medicated for. Apparently his ALT result has been elevated since at least 2015.

@Mrspoopoohead - apart from the carnage I am causing in my personal life, it’s the fear of developing diabetes that is helping spur me on. That and having a stroke - and surviving it. I dread the thought of having a stroke and being left dependent on others. I’d rather not survive it I think (apologies if that offends anyone) than be left with a hemiplegia/not being able to talk or whatever.

it sounds like the ALT being raised for a while is possibly giving him a false sense of security. But one thing is for sure - if he keeps on abusing the booze, it is going to catch up with him at some point. There will always be the deniers “my uncle smoked all his life and drank a bottle of whisky a day for 50 years and he’s still fine at 90”.

But the reality is for every one of those uncles, there will be thousands who have died early or developed conditions which massively reduce their quality of life. I so do not want that to be me 🤞🤞.

i hope he can accept he has a problem and it’s already affecting his health and cut down /stop. Keep us posted 💐

Thank you and I hope you have support for your journey it sounds like you are turning things around. I’ve estimated that he drinks at least 100 units a week. I fail to see how that can carry on without some form of health issue!