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Date: 16-2-2017
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Date: 6-12-2015
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Date: 16-1-2016
1359
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LIVER FUNCTION TESTS
They include liver enzymes, are groups of clinical biochemistry laboratory blood assays designed to give information about the state of a patient's liver. Most liver diseases cause only mild symptoms initially, but it is vital that these diseases be detected early. Hepatic (liver) involvement in some diseases can be of crucial importance.
This testing is performed by a medical technologist on a patient's serum or plasma sample obtained by phlebotomy. Some tests are associated with functionality (eg. albumin); some with cellular integrity (eg. transaminase) and some with conditions linked to the biliary tract (gamma-glutamyl transferase and alkaline phosphatase).
Standard liver panel
Measurement |
Significance |
Reference range |
Alanine Transaminase (ALT) or SGPT |
Alanine transaminase (ALT), also called Serum Glutamic Pyruvate Transaminase (SGPT) or Alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) is an enzyme present in hepatocytes (liver cells). When a cell is damaged, it leaks this enzyme into the blood, where it is measured. ALT rises dramatically in acute liver damage, such as viral hepatitis or paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose. Elevations are often measured in multiples of the upper limit of normal (ULN). |
5 to 40 IU/L |
Aspartate Transaminase (AST) or SGOT |
Aspartate transaminase (AST) also called Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase (SGOT) or aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) is similar to ALT in that it is another enzyme associated with liver parenchymal cells. It is raised in acute liver damage, but is also present in red blood cells, and cardiac and skeletal muscle and is therefore not specific to the liver. The ratio of AST to ALT is sometimes useful in differentiating between causes of liver damage.
|
10 to 40 IU/L |
Alkaline Phosphatase (AlP) |
Alkaline Phosphatase (AlP) is an enzyme in the cells lining the biliary ducts of the liver. ALP levels in plasma will rise with large bile duct obstruction, intrahepatic cholestasis or infiltrative diseases of the liver. ALP is also present in bone and placental tissue, so it is higher in growing children (as their bones are being remodelled) and elderly patients with Paget's disease. |
30 to 120 IU/L |
Total bilirubin (TBIL) |
Bilirubin is a breakdown product of heme (a part of haemoglobin in red blood cells). The liver is responsible for clearing the blood of bilirubin. It does this by the following mechanism: bilirubin is taken up into hepatocytes, conjugated (modified to make it water-soluble), and secreted into the bile, which is excreted into the intestine. Increased total bilirubin causes jaundice, and can signal a number of problems:
|
2 – 14 μmol/L |
Direct bilirubin (Conjugated bilirubin) |
The diagnosis is narrowed down further by looking at the levels of direct bilirubin.
|
0 – 4 μmol/L |
Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) |
Although reasonably specific to the liver and a more sensitive marker for cholestatic damage than ALP, Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) may be elevated with even minor, sub-clinical levels of liver dysfunction. It can also be helpful in identifying the cause of an isolated elevation in ALP. GGT is raised in alcohol toxicity (acute and chronic). In some laboratories, GGT is not part of the standard LFTs and must be specifically requested. |
0 to 51 IU/L |
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علامات بسيطة في جسدك قد تنذر بمرض "قاتل"
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أول صور ثلاثية الأبعاد للغدة الزعترية البشرية
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مكتبة أمّ البنين النسويّة تصدر العدد 212 من مجلّة رياض الزهراء (عليها السلام)
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