Korean J Urol Oncol.  2022 Feb;20(1):34-42. 10.22465/kjuo.2022.20.1.34.

De Ritis Ratio (Aspartate Transaminase/Alanine Transaminase) as a Significant Prognostic Factor With Upper Urinary Tract Carcinoma Who Underwent Radical Nephroureterectomy and Adjuvant Chemotherapy

• Yoon JH
• Jeong CW
• Kwak C
• Kim HH
• Ku JH
• Yu JH
• Yuk HD

• KMID: 2527249
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22465/kjuo.2022.20.1.34

Abstract

Purpose
To investigate the correlation between preoperative De Ritis ratio (aspartate transaminase [AST]/alanine transaminase [ALT]) and postoperative clinical outcome in patients with upper urinary tract carcinoma (UTUC) who underwent radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) and adjuvant chemotherapy (ACH).
Materials and Methods
We respectively analyzed the clinical and pathological data of 102 patients who underwent RNU and ACH for UTUC. Patients were divided into 2 groups, according to the optimal value of AST/ALT ratio. The effect of the AST/ALT ratio was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression hazard models for patients’ cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS).
Results
Mean survival time was 50.5±41.2 months. Mean age was 61.4±9.7years. Forty-one of the patients (46.5%) were in the high AST/ALT group. According to receiver operating characteristic analysis, the optimal AST/ALT ratio was 1.2. In Kaplan-Meier analyses, the high AST/ALT group showed worse outcomes in OS (p=0.007) and CSS (p=0.011). Using Cox regression models of clinical and pathological parameters to predict OS, high AST/ALT ratio (hazard ratio [HR], 5.428; 95% confidence interval [CI]; 1.803–16.334; p=0.002), pathological T3 (pT3) or higher (HR, 1.464; 95% CI; 1.156-1.857; p=0.002), and to predict CSS, high AST/ALT ratio (HR, 4.417; 95% CI; 1.545–12.632; p=0.005), and pT3 or higher (HR, 1.475; 95% CI; 1.172–1.904; p=0.002) were determined as independent prognostic factors.
Conclusions
Pretreatment AST/ALT ratio is a significant independent predictor of CSS and OS in advanced UTUC patients receiving systemic ACH after RNU.

Keyword

Alanine transaminase; Aspartate transaminase; Chemotherapy; Upper urinary tract carcinoma; Urothelial cell carcinoma