AUTHOR=Liu Huimin , Li Hai , Deng Guohong , Zheng Xin , Huang Yan , Chen Jinjun , Meng Zhongji , Gao Yanhang , Qian Zhiping , Liu Feng , Lu Xiaobo , Shi Yu , Shang Jia , Yan Huadong , Zheng Yubao , Shen Zixuan , Qiao Liang , Zhang Weituo , Wang Xianbo TITLE=Association of AST/ALT ratio with 90-day outcomes in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic liver disease: a prospective multicenter cohort study in China JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine VOLUME=11 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2024.1307901 DOI=10.3389/fmed.2024.1307901 ISSN=2296-858X ABSTRACT=Background and aim

A high aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) ratio is associated with liver injury in liver disease; however, no data exist regarding its relationship with 90-day prognosis in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic liver disease.

Methods

In this study, 3,758 participants (955 with advanced fibrosis and 2,803 with cirrhosis) from the CATCH-LIFE cohort in China were included. The relationships between different AST/ALT ratios and the risk of adverse 90-day outcomes (death or liver transplantation) were determined in patients with cirrhosis or hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated advanced fibrosis, respectively.

Results

In the patients with HBV-associated advanced fibrosis, the risk of 90-day adverse outcomes increased with AST/ALT ratio; after adjusting for all confounding factors, the risk of adverse 90-day outcomes was the highest when AST/ALT ratio was more than 1.08 (OR = 6.91 [95% CI = 1.789–26.721], p = 0.005), and the AST/ALT ratio of >1.9 accelerated the development of adverse outcomes. In patients with cirrhosis, an AST/ALT ratio > 1.38 increased the risk of adverse 90-day outcomes in all univariables (OR = 1.551 [95% CI = 1.216–1.983], p < 0.001) and multivariable-adjusted analyses (OR = 1.847 [95% CI = 1.361–2.514], p < 0.001), and an elevated AST/ALT ratio (<2.65) accelerated the incidence of 90-day adverse outcomes. An AST/ALT ratio of >1.38 corresponded with a more than 20% incidence of adverse outcomes in patients with cirrhosis.

Conclusion

The AST/ALT ratio is an independent risk factor for adverse 90-day outcomes in patients with cirrhosis and HBV-associated advanced fibrosis. The cutoff values of the AST/ALT ratio could help clinicians monitor the condition of patients when making clinical decisions.