Alt / Ast / Mcv / Mch

[stilton]

Recent blood tests showed these very slightly over the normal range although the ALT (and AST) readings were normal a few days later.



Understand AST / ALT can be a little high with alcohol use but I do not understand MCV and MCH can anyone explain what these mean ?

[gingernut]

the red blood cells are a little too dense, and have more iron in than usual.

[stilton]

Thank you for the reply, are there any common causes for this ?

[QDMQDMQDM]

Very mild abnormalities of the MCV and MCH are common and a high percentages of Full Blood Counts will have minor abnormalities. A slightly raised MCV, mean corpuscular volume, is probably not significant. It can be related to excess alcohol use and a host of other more obscure causes or, if in the presence of anaemia as well, can be related to folate or B12 deficiency. Often there is no apparent cause. A slightly high MCH means nothing at all.

As for ALT / AST being high with alcohol use, that is much less common than a rise in the Gamma GT with alcohol use. If your ALT / AST are elevated due to alcohol then you are a pretty signficant drinker with pretty significant liver inflammation. In most cases, mild abnormalities of the ALT / AST (say less than X2 upper limit normal) tend to resolve. Probably the most common cause in the West of mildly / moderately elevated ALT / AST is fatty liver secondary to obesity.

On the bare information you have given it doesn't sound like you have anything much to be concerned about.

[stilton]

Thank you for your reply, I have put on quite a lot of weight in the last year 9over 12 Kilos)

Perhaps that is related.

[Sir Richard]

Some more info on a similar theme here. :ooh:


http://www.pprune.org/medical-health/341463-fatty-liver-disease.html