• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.121-136
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• 2005

Background/Aims The liver funtion tests(LFTs), such as aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine amino-transferase(ALT), r -glutamyl transferase( r -GT), have been widely used for screening tests but their low positive predictive value can cause many false positive results. To evaluate the clinical usefulness of these tests, we analyzed serial LFT results of single factory workers and compared the risk factor's in groups divided by the serial LFT results. Methods From June 2001 to October 2001, 1223 consecutive healthy workers in a single factory were enrolled and questionnaire, LFT and liver ultrasonography were performed. Previous LFT results were collected from Annual Health Examination Survey. According to the abnormalities in serial LFT, participants were classified into three groups (abnormal-in-both, alternating normal-in-both) and the risk factors were compared among these groups using multiple logistic regression Results The prevalence of LFT abnormality in a single test was 16.8% but, in serial LFT, only 5% of participants showed consistent abnormality. The risk factors for abnormal-in-both group, compared with alternating group, were liver ultrasonography abnormality such as fatty liver(odds ratio, 2.2; p=0.026) and heavy alcohol intake (more than 210g/week) (odds ratio, 7.2;P=0.064). HBsAg was not significant risk factor for any of the three groups. ConclusionIn factory workers with serial LFT abnormality, alcoholic liver disease could be the principal cause of abnormal LFT. Even if HBsAg were positive in patients with abnormal LFT, there is a possibility of another causes for LFT abnormalities such as alcoholic liver disease and nonalcoholic steatosis or steatohepatitis

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.192-203
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• 2013

Objectives : To investigate the incidence of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) by combined-prescription of Korean herbal medicine (KHM; prescribed herbal medicine by doctors of traditional Korean medicine) and Western medicine on liver function. Methods : Sixty-nine in-patients who took KHM and Western medicine for various conditions were enrolled for prospective observational study. All subjects were given liver and renal function tests at the start of hospitalization to establish a baseline. After taking KHM and Western medicine, tests were done at approximately 4-week intervals afterwards. Results : Fifty-three subjects showed normal liver function test (LFT) at baseline, 50 subjects (72.5%) remained within the normal range at the second test, while 3 subjects (4.3%) tests revealed slight increase of LFT. However not a single patient had a high enough raised LFT to indicate liver injury. Sixteen of 69 subjects had abnormal baseline, 11 subjects recovered to normal levels and 5 subjects remained at abnormal level. Among all subjects, there was no statistically significant increase in LFT level between the first and second tests. Conclusions : This study shows that the combined-prescription of KHM and Western medicine did not cause any DILI. In some cases, combined treatment increased LFT levels but those increases were not high enough to have statistical significance. Additional large scale and systematical studies are required for more conclusive proof and results.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.95-104
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• 2012

Objectives: There are some controversies over the safety of herbal medication in relation to liver function. This report, therefore, aimed to analyze the safety issue of herbal medications by scrutinizing the liver function tests (LFT) results of 82 psoriasis patients on herbal medications for 3 months at an oriental medical clinic. Methods: We tested psoriasis patients' liver function periodically with Reflotron Plus of Roche during the herbal medication. Then we statistically analyzed the LFT results to see if there was any negative change. Results: Statistical analysis on the LFT results of 82 psoriasis patients showed no meaningful change caused by herbal medication over 3 months. Conclusions: From this result we conclude that herbal medication for 3 months does no harm to patients' liver function.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.777-783
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• 2021

Objective: This case report describes a patient who suffered a drug-induced liver injury and was treated with Saengganggeonbi-tang. Methods: A patient was treated with Korean herbal medicine, and the treatment effect was evaluated using liver function tests (LFT) to determine total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Results: The patient's LFT levels were normal on 27 July 2021 but became abnormal by 12 August 2021 after taking Western drugs. After 15 days of treatment with Saengganggeonbi-tang, the LFT levels had improved. Conclusion: This study shows that Saenggangeonbi-tang may be an effective treatment for drug-induced liver injury.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.29-40
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• 2010

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of Gamitaeeumjowi-tang(GTT) prescribed by doctors of korean(KMD) medicine on liver function. Methods For this single-center, prospective, observational study, we enrolled patients who wished to take GTT prescribed by KMD for losing weight. sixty(60) patients took GTT for 33.8 days and completed questionnaires. Liver function tests(LFTs) were performed bofore(first test) and after each GTT treatment(finish test). For LFT, T-bil, ALP, AST, ALT were measured. Result There were no significant changes in LFT data between the first and finish tests. At first test, levels of test seven(7) patients were more than twice of normal range of upper limit, levels of eight(8) patients were more than normal range of upper limit, less than twice of normal range of upper limit. At last test, levels of nine(9) patients were more than normal range of upper limit, less than twice of normal range of upper limit. Conclusion The current study showed that ingestion of GTT prescribed by KMD did not increase the frequency of abnormal LFTs, at least in the short term.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.166-175
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• 2016

Objectives: This case study reports on improvements after treating patients who had abnormal liver function values in Soyangin gyolhyungjeung with Soyangin hyeongbangdojeok-san-gami.Methods: The study was carried out with three patients who showed abnormal liver function values in Soyangin gyolhyungjeung. Liver function tests (LFT) and numerical rating scales (NRS) were used to evaluate symptoms.Results: After we treated three patients with Soyangin hyeongbangdojeok-san-gami, their symptoms and LFT results had improved considerably.Conclusions: Soyangin hyeongbangdojeok-san-gami appears to have a useful effect on abnormal liver function values in Soyangin gyolhyungjeung. Further clinical studies are needed to verify these findings.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.555-563
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• 2017

Objectives: This case report describes a patient who had suffered a stroke and who was treated for a long period with herbal medicine in combination with a Western medicine. Methods: Changes in liver function and renal function laboratory tests were measured while the patient took herbal medicine during the 1190 days of hospitalization. Results: During the hospitalization period, the liver function test (LFT) levels were elevated two fold, but after taking the herbal medicine, the LFT levels were stabilized and have remained stable since. Conclusions: The high risk of prescribing herbal medicine by an unlicensed person and the possibility of long-term herbal medicine usage for stabilizing liver function test were shown.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.40-48
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate safety of postpartum herbal medicine by assessing the effect of taking herbal medicine of postpartum period on liver function. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 167 mothers who underwent liver function tests (LFT) within 3 months before and after childbirth among mothers who gave birth at ○○ Hospital between January 1, 2016 and May 31, 2018. Mothers with abnormally elevated LFT during pregnancy were excluded. Among 167 women, 6 women are herbal-medicine-group took herbal medicine for 5-6 weeks during postpartum period, and 161 patients are general -group who did not take herbal medicine. LFT Variation of Subjects before and after childbirth were compared between the two groups. And subjects who had elevated liver levels above the normal range after delivery were classified separately, the characteristics and causes of changes in liver levels were analyzed, and the presence or absence of drug-induced liver damage was confirmed. Results: Among a total of 167 subjects, there were 5 women in the herbal-medicine-group and 150 women in the general-group who had changes in liver values within the normal range after childbirth. Aspartate transaminase (AST) change before and after childbirth in the herbal-medicine-group was 3.40±1.82, and AST change in the general-group was 2.92±8.59, showing no significant difference between the two groups (p=0.901). Increase of Alanine transaminase (ALT) before and after childbirth in the herbal-medicine-group was 5.60±3.65, and ALT change in the general-group was 8.01±11.81, showing no significant difference between the two groups (p=0.651). There were 12 subjects who had elevated AST, ALT above the normal range after delivery, including 1 in the herbal-medicine-group and 11 in the normal mothers group. Valuation of 1 Subject of the herbal-medicine-group before and after delivery was 17 IU/L of AST and 52 IU/L of ALT. Because results of AST, ALT is under the standard to diagnose to liver damage, she was observed without any treatment. However the cause of AST, ALT elevation was not found in the chart, she was receiving treatment for diabetes and hyperlipidemia. The general-group had an average increase of AST 35.64±22.67 IU/L and ALT 53.00±26.80 IU/L. As a result of analyzing the cause, there were direct causes such as autoimmune hepatitis, chronic hepatitis B, and acute pyelonephritis. Abnormal elevations in liver levels were also found in mothers with hypothyroidism, diabetes, and fever of unknown cause, although they were not direct causes. Conclusions: To investigate the safety of taking herbal medicines, we assess the variation in AST and ALT within 3 months before and after delivery in the herbal-medicine-group and general-group. There was no significant difference between two groups.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.337-347
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• 2013

Aspirin is widely used for treatment or prophylaxis of many diseases. Although aspirin is used chronically for preventing cardiovascular diseases especially, liver function is rarely monitored because of unpredictable and uncommon hepatotoxicity induced by aspirin. We evaluated changes in liver function indicators and compared to acetaminophen and NSAIDs. We retrospectively analyzed EMR data (n=28788) of patients who took study drugs and had liver function tests (LFT) during study period from 2009.7.1 to 2010.6.30 at a tertiary hospital and evaluated the above information. Patients not having LFT results at these three standard points of time (baseline, during medication, and after finishing medication) were excluded. During medication, mean changes of Alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartate transaminase (AST), Total Bilirubin (TB) were increased and that of serum albumin (Alb) was decreased, with the largest effect from aspirin (n=461; 16.8, 14.9, 0.28, -0.24) and the smallest from celecoxib (n=127; 3.4, 5.2, 0.11, -0.16). In addition, aspirin caused more changes of blood liver function indicators in patient group with liver disease (n=128, 27.4, 26.9, 0.53, -0.3) than those in patient group without liver disease (n=357, 12.5, 13.1, 0.23, -0.24). Taking low dose aspirin for prophylaxis purpose with long-term medication may be associated with liver injury. Our study is just a signal regarding the possibility of hepatotoxicity among patients taking low dose aspirin in a hospital setting, and thus it needs to be further investigated.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2017

Many obesity patients were affected by depressed liver function including hepatosteatosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effect of the obesity therapy with Korean herbal medicine (KHM) on obese patient with abnormal liver function. This is a retrospective observational study performed on obesity patients with abnormal liver function. All subjects have taken serum liver function tests (LFTs) before treatment. Ten patients showed abnormal LFTs. They were treated with KHM at least 15 days. During this treatment, LFTs were evaluated afterwards. Body weight and body mass index of the patients were decreased during treatments. Five of 10 subjects recovered normal levels of LFTs. While other subjects remained at abnormal level but their levels were decreased. This study shows that the obesity therapy including KHM could be effective to improve liver function on obese patient. Additional large scale studies are necessary for more evidences.