From the Research
Yes, enterocolitis can cause transaminitis, as evidenced by a study published in 2004 1, which found that abnormalities in liver enzyme levels are frequent during severe enterocolitis due to Salmonella enteritidis in adult patients. Enterocolitis, which is inflammation of the small intestine and colon, can lead to elevated liver enzymes (transaminitis) through several mechanisms.
- When the intestinal barrier is compromised during enterocolitis, bacterial products, toxins, and inflammatory mediators can enter the portal circulation and reach the liver, causing hepatocellular injury.
- This process, known as gut-liver axis activation, results in the release of transaminases (ALT and AST) from damaged liver cells into the bloodstream.
- Additionally, systemic inflammation from severe enterocolitis can affect multiple organs, including the liver.
- Certain types of enterocolitis, such as those caused by specific pathogens like Salmonella or Clostridium difficile, are particularly associated with liver enzyme elevations. The transaminitis is usually mild to moderate and resolves with successful treatment of the underlying enterocolitis, as seen in the study published in 2004 1, which found that serum enzyme levels decreased during the convalescence period after hospital discharge. Patients with enterocolitis who develop right upper quadrant pain, jaundice, or significant liver enzyme elevations should be evaluated for concomitant liver involvement or complications, and management should be guided by the severity of the transaminitis and the underlying cause of the enterocolitis, as discussed in a review published in 2017 2.