Alkaline phosphatase in the blood

What is alkaline phosphatase?

Alkaline phosphatase is a specific enzyme belonging to the group of hydrolases. It is necessary that the body had success defosfaurilirovnie reaction, namely the cleavage of phosphate from organic matter, which occurs at the molecular level. Carrying phosphorus through the cell membrane, the phosphatase has a certain constant concentration in the blood and is an indicator of standards of calcium-phosphorus metabolism. The name of the alkaline enzyme was for the fact that most activity he manifests in the presence of pH in the range of from 8.6 to 10.1.

Despite the fact that alkaline phosphatase is the most frequently occurring enzymes, to the end of the mechanism of its action has not been studied. It is worth noting that in humans it is present almost everywhere, in all tissues, but is presented in several versions: renal, intestinal, placental, liver and bone. As for the serum, in adults phosphatase presented two latter isozymes, in relatively equal amounts. In bones, the enzyme is produced in the osteoblasts and in the liver in hepatocytes. The higher the activity of certain cells, for example, in fractures or in the destruction of liver cells, and the level of phosphatase in the blood becomes more.

The normal alkaline phosphatase in the blood

As for normal levels of alkaline phosphatase in the blood, these readings vary within wide ranges, can range from 44 to 147 IU/L. it is worth to pay attention to the gender of the person who had taken blood for research, but also on his age. In pregnant women, this figure may be slightly inflated, as well as adolescents, in the stage of puberty but will not indicate any abnormalities in their body. Just this is due to the restructuring of certain life-support systems, as well as growth of bone or placenta.

In addition, the performance standards may vary depending on the reagents used for research in various laboratories as a standardized technique at this time is missing. Specific figures vary, but the range of their oscillations, however, remains low, therefore, when determining the standards can be based on the following averages:

• for children under 10 years - from 150 to 350
• for children from 10 to 19 from 155 to 500
• for adults under the age of 50 years – from 30 to 120
• forage category from 50 to 75 – from 110 to 135
• for people over 75 years of age from 165 to 190

These reference values are specified in the calculation of international units per liter.

Alkaline phosphatase increased

The study of increase or decrease in phosphatase in the blood is carried out for some reasons. This may be preparation for surgical intervention, as well as routine examination of the patient. Blood was taken for detection of the level of this enzyme and during the "liver test", to assess the functional ability of the body.

Often, the complaints of patients on fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, or pain in the right hypochondrium study the level of alkaline phosphatase in the blood. Significant result is for the diagnosis of various bone lesions and bone tissue.

When alkaline phosphatase is increased, it almost always means either defeat or involvement in any disease process or bone, or liver, or biliary tract. To delineate and clarify the results help further research, so if along with this enzyme, there is overestimation of the level of ALT and AST, it clearly indicates liver disease. If in combination with alkaline phosphatase-increased levels of calcium and phosphorus, the damage of bone tissue is evident.

Reasons for the increase in alkaline phosphatase

As those or other reasons, we can distinguish four main groups, which lead to an increase in the blood level of this enzyme:

• The first group is disorders associated with alterations or diseases of the liver. It could be jaundice, which is caused by obstruction of the biliary tract, stones in the bile ducts and the formation of scars after surgery. Cancer or pancreas head, or stomach, or liver metastases. In hepatitis of any origin observed increase in phosphatase, as well as cirrhosis. Another viral infection, namely infectious mononucleosis can cause disorders of the liver, and as a result increase in the blood of this enzyme.

• The second group is violations associated with changes in bone tissue. This includes diseases such as osteomalacia (softening of bone due to calcium deficiency),osteosarcoma, metastasesaffecting bone Paget's disease (abnormal bone growth with the change of their structure), fractures, rickets, and multiple myeloma.

• The third group is other reasons. Jump in the indicators of the level of alkaline phosphatase can be associated with myocardial infarction, ulcerative colitis and intestinal perforation, and hyperparathyroidism (a hormonal disease characterized by loss of calcium from bones).
• The fourth group are States that are not associated with disease, but due to several factors. These include pregnancy, puberty, healthy women up to 20 years and healthy men up to 30 years, as well as antibiotics and hormonal drugs for contraception and other medicines included in the list is quite extensive and can contain up to 250 items. Also, if the blood was refrigerated after intake to the study, the level of alkaline phosphatase will be high.

It should be noted that increasing the level of this enzyme is not in all cases is an indicator of a particular disease. Sometimes it can exceed the norm, even in completely healthy people. Therefore, to judge the presence of a pathological process, further research was needed to examine the results obtained in the complex.

Alkaline phosphatase is lowered

The decrease of this enzyme in the blood should pay attention, as this indicator can be signs of several diseases, is no less dangerous than at higher levels of phosphatase.

The possible reasons that lead to reduced enzyme levels:

• Blood transfusion in large amounts.

• Reduced functionality of the thyroid gland.

• Anemia of severe degree of severity.

• Deficiency in elements such as magnesium and zinc.
• Rare disease – hypophosphatasia is congenital and leads to the fact that the bone tissue softened.
• Pregnant women have a decrease in alkaline phosphatase can be a sign of insufficiency of the placenta.

So, in order to quantify the result of increasing or decreasing the level of alkaline phosphatase in the blood of any specialist will need to conduct additional studies. It is worth remembering that boundaries, which can be normal values.quite extensive and greatly depend on the age of the subject. Therefore, to accurately diagnose the presence of a disease only when the level of this enzyme can not even the doctor. However, this, combined with further research can give a complete picture of the disease.