Abstract
Background: Adenosine Deaminase (ADA), a nonspecific marker for cellular immunity, is raised in diseases eliciting a cell-mediated immune response. High serum ADA activities were observed in patients with different liver diseases. This study was aimed to determine the association of serum ADA and transaminases levels in liver disease patients and normal control. Methodology: In this comparative cross-sectional study 80 subjects, 40 with liver disease and 40 without liver disease were enrolled. Blood samples were drawn and analysis was done. Liver function profile was done by Autoanalyzer and ADA activity was measured by Giusti and Galanti's colorimetric method. Independent t-test and Mann Whitney U test for the association; Pearson's correlation and Spearman's Rho for correlation study. Multiple linear regression model was used for the independent association of the variable with ADA. P<0.05 set as statistically significant. Results: Based on liver function tests, subjects were divided into Group 1 (normal liver function) and Group 2 (altered liver function) with 40 individual in each group and mean age was 40.0±16.5 years and 42.4±16.3 years respectively. Total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and ADA was higher in subjects with liver insufficiency (group 2) and was statistically significant. ADA was significantly correlated with albumin, AST, ALT, and ALP in subjects with normal liver function whereas no such pattern was noticed in patients with liver insufficiency. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the serum ADA activity is predominantly elevated in subjects with altered liver function and highlight its role in diagnosis and monitoring the clinical status of the patients with liver insufficiency.

Key words: Adenosine deaminase, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, liver function test