Ohgi N, Hirayama C
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Tottori University School of Medicine, Yonago, Japan.
Clin Biochem. 1988 Dec;21(6):367-70. doi: 10.1016/s0009-9120(88)80019-5.
Plasma levels of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) in cirrhotic patients were significantly lower than in control subjects. However, the plasma total pyridoxal level and urinary 4-pyridoxic acid excretion were not decreased in non-alcoholic patients but in alcoholic patients. In the latter, the percentage of apo alanine aminotransferase was not related to the plasma PLP level, but was significantly correlated with plasma total pyridoxal level and urinary 4-pyridoxic acid excretion. We conclude that alcoholic cirrhotic patients have vitamin B6 deficiency, which is at least responsible for low serum alanine aminotransferase activity.
