Causes of elevated alkaline phosphatase in late pregnancy

Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme secreted by various organs of the human body. If this enzyme is elevated or slightly low, it should be paid attention to, as it may be caused by some diseases. What is the reason for high alkaline phosphatase levels in pregnant women? Let's have a simple understanding of this issue. I hope the following points will be helpful to everyone!

Causes of high alkaline phosphatase levels in pregnant women

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP or AKP) is an enzyme that is widely distributed in human tissues such as liver, bones, intestines, kidneys and embryos and is excreted from the liver into the bile. This type of enzyme can catalyze the removal of the 5' phosphate group from the nucleotide molecular structure, thereby converting the 5'-P tail of the DNA or RNA fragment into a 5'-OH tail. But it is not a single enzyme, just a group of isoenzymes. Six isoenzymes have been discovered: AKP1, AKP2, AKP3, AKP4, AKP5 and AKP6. Among them, types 1, 2, and 6 all originate from the liver, type 3 originates from bone cells, type 4 is produced in embryonic and tumor cells, and type 5 originates from intestinal villus epithelial cells and fibroblasts.

During pregnancy, the fetus's breathing and metabolism in the uterus are all performed by the pregnant mother. Therefore, the metabolism of the pregnant woman's newborn baby increases, the metabolism of glycogen in the liver increases, and the burden of the gallbladder and liver increases. In some normal pregnant women, some liver function tests may also show slight changes, such as increased blood cholesterol and alkaline phosphatase. According to clinical statistics, blood alkaline phosphatase reaches 2-3 times the normal level in the 9th month of pregnancy. Experts remind: Alkaline phosphatase in pregnant women may increase physiologically during pregnancy, so there is no need to panic. If a pregnant woman with hepatitis has a high alkaline phosphatase level, she can go to the hospital for outpatient treatment.

The standard value of alkaline phosphatase is 50-135U/L for women and 45-125U/L for men.

High alkaline phosphatase levels

1. Caused by some medicines.

When clinical patients use antibiotics (erythromycin, penicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, ampicillin, etc.) for treatment, high alkaline phosphatase values ​​will occur. In addition, high alkaline phosphatase values ​​will also occur when they are treated with barbiturates. High alkaline phosphatase levels caused by these drugs generally do not require special treatment and will recover after stopping the drug.

2. Bone diseases.

Because alkaline phosphatase is also very active in bone tissue, patients with bone diseases will have high alkaline phosphatase levels. For example, patients with bone diseases such as rickets, osteomalacia, fracture healing period, osteoporosis, bone malignant tumors, and bone metastasis of malignant tumors generally have high alkaline phosphatase values.

3. Liver and gallbladder diseases.

Because the number of alkaline phosphatases in liver cells is the largest, if there is a problem with the gallbladder and liver, high alkaline phosphatase values ​​are inevitable. Clinical medicine, such as obstructive jaundice, viral hepatitis, liver cancer (primary, secondary), cirrhosis, cholestatic hepatitis, etc. can all cause high alkaline phosphatase values.

4. Pregnancy.

In clinical medicine, pregnant women may also have high alkaline phosphatase levels. The reason for the high alkaline phosphatase levels in pregnant women is that the basal metabolism of pregnant women is increased, which causes the liver to be overburdened, thereby causing obstruction in liver function tests and resulting in high alkaline phosphatase levels.

5. Other uncommon diseases.

Other less common medical conditions can also cause high alkaline phosphatase levels. For example, sepsis, hyperfunction of thyroid cysts, renal tubular metabolic acidosis, breast cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, osteoblastoma, osteosarcoma, etc. can cause high alkaline phosphatase values.