In cases of hepatitis A, which liver lab finding is typically observed?

In cases of hepatitis A, the liver lab finding that is commonly observed is that the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels are higher than aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels. This is particularly relevant in acute liver injury, where ALT is more indicative of liver cell damage as it is more specific to the liver.

In hepatitis A, which is a viral infection that primarily causes acute hepatitis, there tends to be significant hepatocellular injury leading to a marked elevation in ALT. While both enzymes (ALT and AST) can be elevated during liver inflammation, ALT typically rises more prominently in viral hepatitis cases, including hepatitis A. This differentiation can aid in diagnosing the condition, as elevated AST levels are not specific to liver damage and can result from other conditions such as muscular injury.

Normal liver enzyme levels would not be consistent with hepatitis A infection, as elevated enzymes indicate liver injury. Elevated alkaline phosphatase is more associated with cholestatic liver diseases or biliary obstruction rather than viral hepatitis, where ALT plays a more critical role. Therefore, the finding of ALT being higher than AST is indeed characteristic of hepatitis A and is essential for accurate assessment and diagnosis.