Compared to the matched CHB patients, the proportion of elevated ALT (> 40 U/L) was significantly lower in the RA patients (11.1% vs. 35.2%; OR 0.233; 95% CI 0.066–0.824; P = 0.024; Fig. 1E), together with the level of ALT [15.0 (7.0–97.0) vs. 22.0 (10.0–476.0), Z = − 2.066, P = 0.039, Fig. 1F]. The gene discussed is GPT; the disease is rheumatoid arthritis.