From the Guidelines
Elevated aldolase levels are primarily caused by muscle injury, as aldolase is a muscle-related enzyme.
Causes of Elevated Aldolase Levels
- Muscle injury: Intensive exercising, such as weight lifting, can lead to an acute elevation in aldolase levels due to muscle damage 1.
- Statin-related muscle injury: Patients receiving statins as concomitant therapy for dyslipidemia may also have elevated aldolase levels due to statin-related muscle injury 1.
- Other muscle-related conditions: Other conditions that affect muscle tissue, such as myopathy, may also lead to elevated aldolase levels. It is essential to note that aldolase is not specific to liver disease, and elevated levels are more likely to indicate muscle injury rather than liver damage. Testing for blood levels of creatine phosphokinase (CK) or other muscle-related enzymes can confirm the nonhepatic origin of this event 1.
From the Research
Causes of Elevated Aldolase Levels
Elevated aldolase levels can be caused by various factors, including:
- Myotonic muscular disease, such as progressive muscular dystrophy and polymyositis 2
- Myocardial infarction, with aldolase levels reaching a maximum within 24-48 hours and returning to normal in the course of five days 2
- Muscular diseases, with aldolase A isozyme being elevated 2, 3
- Acute hepatitis, with aldolase B isozyme being elevated 2
- Malignant tumors, with aldolase A isozyme being predominant in serum 2, 3, 4
- Hemolytic anemia, with erythrocytes being rich in aldolase 2
- Liver diseases, such as cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, and obstructive jaundice, with aldolase B isozyme being slightly elevated 2, 3
- Myopathies, such as dermatomyositis, overlap myositis, and nonspecific myopathy, with isolated aldolase elevation being a potential biomarker of damaged early regenerating muscle cells 5, 6
Specific Conditions Associated with Elevated Aldolase Levels
Some specific conditions associated with elevated aldolase levels include:
- Dermatomyositis, with selective elevation of aldolase A 5
- Overlap myositis, with elevated aldolase A levels 5
- Nonspecific myopathy, with elevated aldolase A levels 5
- Colon cancer, with aldolase A overexpression being associated with poor prognosis and promoting tumor progression by the epithelial-mesenchymal transition 4