Some of the biochemical indicators peculiar to the liver`s functional activity in patients with acute epiglottitis

Abstract

This paper has studied the liver`s functional activity in acute epiglottitis (AE) using such biochemical indicators as: Weltmann test, the activity of asparagine transferase and alanine transferase, thymol test, and alkaline phosphatase. The pathological process, which involves the epiglottis, aryepiglottic folds and surrounding tissues, changes the main clinical and biochemical blood and urine values in patients with acute epiglottitis. 86 patients with epiglottitis aged 20 to 81 years old stayed at the CCH No. 30 in of Kharkiv (clinical site of the ENT-department of Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education) were the subject of our study. It has been found that almost all patients with AE have elevated values even a month after recovery. De Ritis ratio, in particular AST/ALT ratio should be paid special attention. Even after 30 days of recovery, De Ritis ratio remained high, 32.25% higher if compared to healthy people.

The Weltmann test was increased by 12.8%, being associated with an increased percentage content of α1- and α2-globulins in the serum; the test tends to increase in the case of acute inflammatory conditions. The highest activity of LF was determined in patients with abscessed form. After 30 days of the occurrence of the disease, the activity of LF remained increased by 84.3% (infiltrative form) and by 52.9% in the case of abscessed form. An increased LF activity in the blood is a sing of damaged hepatocytes under conditions of endogenous intoxication. There was found a disorder of protein-forming and enzyme-forming functions of the liver (according to the liver tests) in patients with acute epiglottitis that requires a long-term therapy with the use of medications aimed at stabilizing the structure and function of the liver.