Serum Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) Levels in Different Grades of Protein Energy Malnutrition

Children under 06 years are victims of different grades of malnutrition1. Both ALT and AST are nonfunctional plasma enzymes and they are present in blood at level million fold lower than in tissues. Their presence in plasma at levels above normal suggests increase rate of tissue destruction2. The assay of these enzyme activities in PEM is very useful to detect tissue damage that may occur in PEM before clinical manifestations ar