Objective: Both adult and child patients frequently have elevated transaminases found by accident. These anomalies are frequently reversible and not always the result of liver diseases. This study aimed to identify which of the pediatric patients who applied to the pediatric gastroenterology outpatient clinic had elevated transaminase levels and after for how long time their transaminase levels returned to normal.

Materials and Methods: Between January 2019 and May 2021, patients with elevated transaminase levels between the ages of 0-18 were assessed retrospectively in the pediatric gastroenterology outpatient clinic. Patients' age, gender, initial place of presentation, presenting symptoms, any known underlying diseases, history of prior or regular medication use, physical examination findings at the first visit to the Pediatric Gastroenterology clinic, and levels of AST, ALT, GGT, total bilirubin, albumin, INR, as well as ultrasonography findings if done, are noted. The results, the subsequent treatment, whether he attended the follow-up, the time for the transaminases to return to normal levels, and the diagnoses given, were all documented.

Results: In total, 230 participants were enrolled in the trial.The most common presenting complaint was fever (32.2%). According to the diagnosis they got, an upper respiratory tract infection was the most typical cause in 31.3% of the patients. A total of 82.1% of the patients who came in for follow-up had their transaminase levels returned to normal; where 11.3% did not; and 6.4% indicated a decline but left the follow-up before normal values were seen. The median time to the normalization of the transaminases was 21 days. When those with and without physical examination findings were compared according to whether they had been diagnosed with liver disease, the rate of not having been diagnosed with liver disease was significantly higher in those without findings suggestive of liver disease on physical examination.

Conclusion: In children presenting with symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, such as nasal discharge and sore throat, and without hepatosplenomegaly or jaundice on physical examination, it is not necessary to check transaminase levels during blood tests.