Evaluation of serum activity of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatases in Sudanese with long standing type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background Diabetes, the most common non- communicable disease in Sudan, is having an increasing impact or rates of morbidity and mortality. The spread of sedentary lifestyle and adoption of western dietary habits-high in refine carbohydrates and fat- are driving an increase in the number of people with obesity related type 2 diabetes. The study aims to evaluate the plasma activities in enzymes (AST, ALT and ALP) in Sudanese with long standing diabetes mellitus type 2 compared with healthy subjects (non diabetics) as a control group. Method a cross-sectional study conducted during the period from April to September 2009, compared plasma activities of Aspartate, Alanine Transaminases and Alkaline Phosphatase of 40 Sudanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (as a test group), and 30 apparently healthy volunteers (as a control group). Participants in this study were from Bahri Diabetic Centre in Sudan. Age and gender of test group were matched with control group. The plasma activities of AST, ALT and ALP were measured using A 25 auto analyzer from Roche/ Hitachi Company, Germany. Results in this study forty patients with diabetes mellitus type 2, in addition to 30 healthy volunteers as a control group were enrolled in this study. Age and gender of the test group were matched with the control group Plasma AST, ALT showed insignificant difference, whereas plasma ALP was significantly raised in the test group compared to the control group:      (61.08 ± 19.625) versus (57.23 ± 14.616) U/L (P= 0.415); for plasma AST. (64.15 ± 18.972) versus (62.07 ± 14.605) U/L (P= 0.825); for plasma ALT.   (278.73± 88.963) versus (161.50 ± 81.708) U/L (P= 0.000); for plasma ALP.   In the test group, both plasma AST and ALT showed no correlation with the duration of the disease, while plasma ALP showed a weak positive correlation with the duration of diabetes mellitus. Conclusions in this study we found that Sudanese patients with type2 diabetes mellitus have a high incidence of abnormal ALP levels. Timely diagnosis and management of the abnormal liver parameters may help to minimize liver-related morbidity and mortality in the diabetic population.