Clinical characteristics of liver function damage in patients with brucellosis

Objective To study the characteristics of liver function damage in brucellosis and provide theoretical basis for clinical treatment. Methods One hundred and thirty-six hospitalized patients with brucellosis from Endemic Disease Prevention and Control Center of Wulanchabu City from January 2011 to October 2012 were selected randomly as the research subjects. Parameters of Alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartate transaminase (AST), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Gamma glutamyltransferase (γ-GT), Total protein (TP), Albumin (ALB), Albumin/globulin (A/G), total bilirubin (TBIL) and Direct bilirubin (DBIL) were determined. The means of liver function parameters with mid-value of all the reference ranges were compared by one sample t test; Parameters of liver function were analyzed in 70 acute and 66 chronic brucellosis by two independent-samples t test. Results The means of ALT, AST, ALP, γ-GT, TP, ALB, TBIL and DBIL (: 36.18, 28.20, 95.87, 29.29 U/L, 65.08, 40.84 g/L and 19.76, 5.86 μmol/L) in the 136 samples of brucellosis serum were significantly different from the medians of their reference ranges (: 20.50, 18.50, 85.00, 24.50 U/L, 69.00, 43.50 g/L and 11.80, 3.40 μmol/L, t = 9.46, 9.19, 4.55, 2.22,-2.71,-4.99, 5.58, 11.32, all P 0.05); Parameters of liver function were not significantly different between acute and chronic brucellosis (all P > 0.05). Conclusions This study confirmed that the liver function of the 136 patients with brucellosis is impaired. The level of the liver function impairment is usually mild and moderate and no difference in acute and chronic brucellosis is found. Key words: Brucellosis; Liver; Wounds and injuries