The Use of Serum Enzyme Determinations to Detect Anicteric Hepatitis

The distribution of transaminase values in a series of 1,906 sera drawn from clinically normal Republic of Korea Army recruits has been analyzed statistically. The data have indicated the existence of two normally distributed populations, and the hypothesis has been presented that one of these populations represents the normal population, characterized by absence of hepatocellular damage; and the other represents an “abnormal” population characterized by the presence of definite hepatocellular damage. The data have been analyzed, and interpreted, with reference to the concept of “normal values,” frequency of anicteric serum hepatitis carriers, ratio of anicteric to icteric serum hepatitis, and the problem of exclusion of anicteric serum hepatitis carriers from blood bank procedures. It is suggested that climination of bloods having SGPT concentrations of greater than 25 units, in this or similar populations, may result in elimination of approximately SO per cent of cases of anicteric hepatitis, with an associated loss of only about 15 per cent of available blood.