What are liver function tests. How do liver enzymes indicate liver health. What causes elevated liver enzymes. What are the symptoms of abnormal liver enzyme levels. How are liver enzyme abnormalities diagnosed and treated.

Decoding Liver Function Tests: A Comprehensive Guide

Liver function tests (LFTs) are crucial diagnostic tools used to assess the health and functionality of the liver. These blood tests measure various enzymes, proteins, and substances produced by this vital organ. Understanding LFTs is essential for both healthcare professionals and patients, as they provide valuable insights into liver health and potential issues.

Key Components of Liver Function Tests

LFTs typically include measurements of the following:

• Albumin
• Total protein
• Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
• Alanine transaminase (ALT)
• Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
• Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)
• Bilirubin
• Lactate dehydrogenase (LD)
• Prothrombin time (PT)

Each of these components plays a specific role in liver function, and their levels can indicate various liver conditions when outside the normal range.

The Significance of Aminotransferase Enzymes in Liver Health

Among the various liver enzymes, aminotransferases (ALT and AST) hold particular importance in assessing liver health. These enzymes catalyze chemical reactions involving amino acid transfer and are key indicators of liver cell integrity.

Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT): The Liver-Specific Enzyme

ALT, also known as serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), is primarily found in liver cells. Its elevated levels in the blood often indicate liver cell damage or disease, even before clinical symptoms appear. ALT is considered more liver-specific compared to other enzymes, making it a reliable marker for liver health.

Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST): A Broader Indicator

AST, formerly known as serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), is present in various tissues, including the liver, heart, muscles, and brain. While its elevation can indicate liver damage, it’s less specific than ALT due to its presence in other organs.

Interpreting Liver Enzyme Levels: What Do the Numbers Mean?

Understanding the normal ranges and implications of elevated liver enzyme levels is crucial for accurate interpretation of LFT results.

Normal Ranges for ALT and AST

The typical normal ranges for these enzymes are:

• ALT: 7 to 56 units per liter of serum
• AST: 5 to 40 units per liter of serum

It’s important to note that these ranges can vary slightly depending on the laboratory and the specific testing methods used.

Implications of Elevated Enzyme Levels

Elevated levels of ALT and AST can indicate various liver conditions, including viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. However, the degree of elevation and the ratio between AST and ALT can provide additional diagnostic clues.

Common Causes of Abnormal Liver Enzyme Levels

Several factors can lead to elevated liver enzyme levels, ranging from lifestyle choices to underlying medical conditions.

Lifestyle Factors

• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Obesity
• Certain medications
• Strenuous exercise (temporarily)

Medical Conditions

• Viral hepatitis (A, B, C)
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Cirrhosis
• Liver cancer

Identifying the underlying cause is crucial for appropriate treatment and management of liver health.

Recognizing Symptoms of Liver Dysfunction

While abnormal liver enzyme levels may not always produce noticeable symptoms, certain signs can indicate liver problems:

• Jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)
• Abdominal pain or swelling
• Chronic fatigue
• Nausea or loss of appetite
• Dark urine
• Pale stools
• Easy bruising or bleeding

If you experience these symptoms, especially in combination with risk factors for liver disease, it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional for proper evaluation.

Diagnostic Approaches for Liver Enzyme Abnormalities

When liver enzyme levels are found to be abnormal, healthcare providers may employ various diagnostic strategies to determine the underlying cause and assess liver health.

Additional Blood Tests

Further blood tests may be ordered to check for specific liver conditions, such as:

• Hepatitis virus serologies
• Autoimmune markers
• Iron studies
• Ceruloplasmin levels (for Wilson’s disease)

Imaging Studies

Imaging techniques can provide visual information about liver structure and potential abnormalities:

• Ultrasound
• Computed tomography (CT) scan
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Liver Biopsy

In some cases, a liver biopsy may be necessary to definitively diagnose certain conditions or assess the severity of liver damage.

Treatment Strategies for Abnormal Liver Enzyme Levels

The treatment approach for abnormal liver enzyme levels depends on the underlying cause. Here are some general strategies:

Lifestyle Modifications

• Reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption
• Adopting a healthy diet and exercise routine
• Managing weight
• Avoiding hepatotoxic medications or supplements

Medical Treatments

Specific treatments may include:

• Antiviral medications for viral hepatitis
• Immunosuppressants for autoimmune hepatitis
• Medications to manage complications of cirrhosis

In severe cases of liver disease, liver transplantation may be considered as a last resort.

Preventive Measures for Maintaining Healthy Liver Enzyme Levels

Maintaining healthy liver enzyme levels is crucial for overall health. Here are some preventive measures:

Lifestyle Choices

• Limit alcohol consumption
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise regularly
• Follow a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains

Hepatitis Prevention

• Get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B
• Practice safe sex
• Avoid sharing needles or personal hygiene items

Regular Health Check-ups

Regular medical check-ups and liver function tests can help detect liver problems early, allowing for timely intervention and management.

Understanding liver enzyme levels and their implications is essential for maintaining optimal liver health. By recognizing the significance of liver function tests, identifying potential causes of abnormal enzyme levels, and implementing preventive measures, individuals can take proactive steps to protect this vital organ. Regular monitoring and prompt medical attention when abnormalities are detected can significantly improve outcomes and overall health.

As research in hepatology continues to advance, our understanding of liver enzyme levels and their clinical significance evolves. Staying informed about the latest developments in liver health can empower individuals to make informed decisions about their well-being and work effectively with healthcare providers to maintain optimal liver function.

Liver Function Tests-Ranges-High & Low

Liver Function Tests (LFT)

Liver function tests (LFT) are blood tests, which are commonly performed to assess liver functions or liver injury. LFT is also known by other names such as, liver panel, liver function panel, liver profile hepatic function panel, LFT.

An initial step in detecting liver damage is a simple blood test to determine the level of certain liver enzymes (proteins) in the blood. Under normal circumstances, these enzymes mostly reside within the cells of the liver.

But when the liver is injured for any reason, these enzymes are spilled into the blood stream. Enzymes are proteins that are present throughout the body, each with a unique function.

Enzymes help to speed up (catalyze) routine and vital chemical reactions in the body.

Liver function tests (also known as a liver panel) are blood tests that measure different enzymes, proteins, and other substances made by the liver. These tests check the overall health of the liver.

Following are the different substances often tested at the same time on a single blood sample for LFT:

• Albumin a protein made in the liver
• Total protein. This test measures the total amount of protein in the blood.
• ALP ALP(alkaline phosphatase), ALT (alanine transaminase), AST (aspartate aminotransferase), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). These are different enzymes made by the liver.
• Bilirubin, a waste product made by the liver.
• Lactate dehydrogenase (LD), an enzyme found in most of the body’s cells. LD is released into the blood when cells have been damaged by disease or injury.
• Prothrombin time (PT), a protein involved in blood clotting.

If levels of one or more of these substances are outside of the normal range, it may be a sign of liver disease.

Aminotransferase Enzymes (ALT, AST)

The aminotransferase enzymes catalyze chemical reactions in which an amino group from one amino acid (amino acids are building blocks of proteins) is transferred from a donor molecule to a recipient molecule, hence, the names “aminotransferases.”

Medical terms can sometimes be confusing, as is the case with these enzymes because they have interchangeable names that commonly appear in both medical and non-medical articles. For example:

• Another name for aminotransferase is transaminase.
• The enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (AST) is also known as serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT).
• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is also known as serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT).

Briefly, AST = SGOT and ALT = SGPT; they are enzymes produced by the liver and other types of cells.

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is present primarily in liver cells. In viral hepatitis and other forms of liver disease associated with hepatic necrosis, serum ALT is elevated even before the clinical signs and symptoms of the disease appear.

Although serum levels of both aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and ALT become elevated whenever disease processes affect liver cell integrity, ALT is a more liver-specific enzyme.

Serum elevations of ALT are rarely observed in conditions other than parenchymal liver disease. Moreover, the elevation of ALT activity persists longer than does AST activity.

Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) is a transaminase enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of aspartate and alpha-ketoglutarate to oxaloacetate and glutamate.

The AST enzyme was formerly known as serum glutamate oxalate transaminase (SGOT) and is present in all tissues except bone, with highest levels in liver and skeletal muscle. Concentration of AST is elevated after bruising, trauma, necrosis, infection, or neoplasia of liver or muscle.

The AST enzyme is found in cerebrospinal fluid, exudates, and transudates in proportion to the amount of cellular damage.

Where AST (aspartate aminotransferase) and ALT (aminotransferase enzymes) are Found

AST (SGOT) is normally found in a variety of tissues including the liver, heart, muscle, kidney, and brain. It is released into the serum when any one of these tissues is damaged.

For example, the AST level in serum is elevated in heart attacks or with a muscle injury. It is, therefore, not a highly specific indicator of liver injury as its elevation can occur as a result of other injured tissues.

ALT (SGPT) is, by contrast, normally found largely in the liver. This is not to say that it is exclusively located in the liver, but that is where it is most concentrated.

It is released into the bloodstream as the result of liver injury. Thus, it serves as a fairly specific indicator of liver status.

High (Elevated) Levels of AST and ALT

Following are the normal ranges of AST and ALT:

• The normal range of values for AST (SGOT) is about 5 to 40 units per liter of serum (the liquid part of the blood).
• The normal range of values for ALT (SGPT) is about 7 to 56 units per liter of serum.

The ranges of AST and ALT numbers may differ slightly depending on the technique and protocols used by different laboratories worldwide. However, normal reference ranges are routinely provided by each laboratory and printed with each patient’s individual report.

AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) are reasonably sensitive indicators of liver damage or injury from different types of diseases or conditions, and collectively they are termed liver tests or liver blood tests.

However, it must be emphasized that higher-than-normal levels of these liver enzymes should not be automatically equated with liver disease. They may mean liver problems or they may not.

For example, elevations of these enzymes can occur with muscle damage. The interpretation of elevated AST and ALT results depends upon the entire clinical evaluation of an individual, and so it is best done by physicians experienced in evaluating liver disease and muscle disease.

Moreover, the precise levels of these liver enzyme tests do not correlate well with the extent of liver problems or the prognosis (outlook). Thus, the exact levels of AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) cannot be used to determine the degree of liver disease or predict the future prognosis for liver function.

For example, patients with acute viral hepatitis-A may develop very high AST and ALT levels (sometimes in the thousands of units/liter range), but most patients with acute viral hepatitis-A recover fully without residual liver disease.

Again, patients with chronic hepatitis-C infection typically have only a little elevation in their AST and ALT levels while having substantial liver injury and even advanced scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) from ongoing minor inflammation of the liver.

Types of Liver Function Tests (LFT)

A liver function test is one of a group of tests that check levels of certain enzymes and other proteins in the blood. Some of the tests look for enzymes that are found in liver disease  and when the liver is damaged. Others check that the liver is working properly, the way it should.

Following are some of the blood tests reflect liver function:

• Coagulation panel (prothrombin time or PT, and international normalized ratio or INR): These tests measure blood’s ability for normal clotting and prevention of bleeding and bruising. This is the function of certain proteins called clotting factors that normally are produced in the liver. Normal values are about 9.5 to 13.8 seconds.
• Albumin level (hypoalbuminemia): Albumin is a very common protein found in the blood with a variety of functions. It also is produced only in the liver, and if its levels are lower than normal it can be suggestive of chronic liver disease or liver cirrhosis. Of note, many conditions other than liver disease also may cause low albumin levels. Normal values are about 3.5 to 5 g/dL.
• Bilirubin: This molecule is a byproduct of the routine destruction of red blood cells occurring in the liver. It is normally released as bile in the feces. Elevation of the bilirubin can suggest liver dysfunction. However, other conditions with increased destruction of red blood cells also can cause elevated bilirubin levels despite normal liver function. Normal values are about 0.1 to 1.0 mg/dL.
• Platelet count: Low platelet count (thrombocytopenia) has many causes, one of which can be advanced liver disease. Normal platelet counts are about 150,000 to 400,000 per (µL).
• Glucose: Glucose level is maintained in the body by a variety of mechanisms. The liver can release glucose in the blood for nourishment of other cells in case of starvation with insufficient oral intake of glucose. This process, called gluconeogenesis, is another major function of the liver. In advanced liver disease, this function of the liver can be compromised leading to unusually low glucose levels in the absence of adequate oral intake. Again, a large number of patients with liver cirrhosis become glucose intolerant and develop diabetes.
• GGT (Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase): This enzyme is thought to indicate possible liver damage; the higher the abnormal level, the more likely there is liver damage. Normal levels of GGT are about 9 to 48 U/L.
• ALP (alkaline phosphatase): The liver synthesizes the highest amounts of this enzyme so high levels in the blood may suggest liver injury among other causes. Normal levels of ALP are about 45 to 115 U/L.
• LD or LDH (Lactate dehydrogenase): This enzyme may be elevated in many types of diseases, including liver disease. Normal levels are about 122 to 222U/L.

Reasons for Abnormal Liver Tests

Abnormal liver tests may be detected a variety of liver conditions in the blood. Some of those are the following:

• Mild to moderate elevations of the liver enzymes are common. They are often unexpectedly encountered on routine blood screening tests in otherwise healthy individuals. The AST and ALT readings in such cases are usually between twice the upper limits of normal and several hundred units/liter. One of the most common causes of mild to moderate elevations of these liver tests is a condition referred to as fatty liver disease (steatohepatitis or hepatic steatosis). In the United States, the most frequent cause of fatty liver disease is alcohol abuse.  

Alcoholic fatty liver disease only happens in people who are heavy drinkers, especially those who have been drinking for a long period of time.

The risk is higher for heavy drinkers who are women, have obesity, or have certain genetic mutations.

Other causes of fatty liver include diabetes mellitus, and obesity. Fatty liver disease tests are composed of several tests including blood tests, CT and/or MRI scan tests, and in some patients, a liver biopsy.

• Hepatitis-B and Hepatitis-C are other causes of chronic mild to moderate liver enzyme elevation. In these conditions, ALT and AST may be only slightly high and the degree of abnormality in liver function tests can indicate the degree of injury.
• Chronic and acute alcohol use also can commonly cause abnormal liver blood tests. In alcoholic hepatitis, the range of liver tests can vary greatly. In chronic alcohol liver disease or alcoholic cirrhosis, slight elevation of ALT and AST may be observed, whereas, in acute alcoholic hepatitis, high liver enzyme numbers are often seen.
  
• Some medications can be responsible for a mild to moderate increase in the liver enzyme tests.

Medications that can cause increased liver enzyme tests (AST and ALT) levels

Following are examples of some of the common medications with potential liver toxicity:

Pain Relief Medications

• Aspirin
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• Naproxen (Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Aleve)
• Diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, Voltaren-XR)
• Phenylbutazone (Butazolidine)

Anti-seizure Medications

• Phenytoin (Dilantin)
• Valproic acid ( Depakote)
• Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
• Phenobarbital

Antibiotics

• Tetracyclines (Achromycin)
• Sulfonamides
• Isoniazid (Nydrazid, Laniazid)
• Sulfamethoxazole (Gantanol)
• Trimethoprim(Trimpex; Proloprim, Primsol)
• Nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin, Furadantin, Macrobid)
• Fluconazole (Dilflucan) and other anti-fungals

Cholesterol Lowering Drugs (Statins)

• Lovastatin (Mevacor, Altocor)
• Pravastatin (Pravachol)
• Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
• Fluvastatin (Lescol)
• Simvastatin (Zocor)
• Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
• Niacin

Cardiovascular Drugs

• Amiodarone (Cordaone)
• Hydralazine (Apresoline)
• Quinidine (Quinaglute, Quinidex)

Other Drugs

• Antidepressant drugs of the tricyclic type

With drug-induced liver enzyme abnormalities, the enzymes usually normalize weeks to months after stopping the medications. Typically, the physician will want to monitor the patient’s liver enzymes over time to confirm that the values are normalizing.

Diseases that can cause very high AST or ALT levels

AST and ALT serum levels in some liver conditions can range anywhere from ten times the upper limits of normal to thousands of units/liter.

The highest levels of AST and ALT are found with disorders that cause rapid death of numerous liver cells (extensive hepatic necrosis). Although this degree of liver enzymes elevation is not common, it can occur in such conditions as:

• Acute viral hepatitis A or B
• Profound liver damage inflicted by toxins as from an overdose of acetaminophen (brand-name Tylenol) or mushroom poisoning
• Prolonged collapse of the circulatory system (shock) when the liver is deprived of fresh blood providing oxygen and nutrients

Also, very high AST and ALT levels can be a result of severe muscle diseases.

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What To Do About Fluctuating Liver Enzyme Levels

Liver enzymes are proteins the liver produces. The amount of these proteins in your blood is a good indication of your liver’s overall health. But elevated liver enzyme levels do not always mean serious liver damage or disease.

Sometimes, factors such as hormonal changes or reactions to medications can cause temporarily elevated liver enzyme levels. Elevated levels caused by these factors will generally return to normal in about 2 to 4 weeks without treatment.

Your liver makes proteins called liver enzymes that help your body perform necessary functions. For instance, liver enzymes help your body:

• fight infections
• make coagulation proteins that are necessary for blood clotting
• break down the food you eat
• break down toxins

Your liver makes several liver enzymes, including:

• Aspartate transaminase (AST)
• Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
• Alanine transaminase (ALT)
• Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)

These liver enzyme levels are a good indicator of how well your liver is functioning. A liver panel test checks liver enzyme levels in your blood.

A healthcare professional might order this test as part of routine blood work, as a way to monitor you if you’re at risk for liver disease, or as a diagnostic test if you have symptoms of liver disease or liver damage.

There are many reasons liver enzyme levels can change. Some causes are temporary and will resolve on their own. Other causes are more serious and will require medical treatment.

Temporary causes of changes in liver enzyme levels include:

• Hormones: Fluctuations in your liver levels can occur during your menstrual cycle and pregnancy.
• Certain medications: Some medications, including acetaminophen, antibiotics, and some cholesterol-lowering medications, can elevate your liver enzyme levels.
• Herbal supplements: Supplements such as iron, vitamin A, comfrey, and chaparral can elevate liver enzyme levels.
• Alcohol: Heavy drinking can raise your liver enzyme levels.

Causes of elevated liver enzyme levels that are more likely to be chronic include:

• Fatty liver disease: Heavy alcohol use, obesity, and a range of other factors can cause fatty liver disease. No matter the cause, fatty liver disease raises your liver enzyme levels.
• Hemochromatosis: Hemochromatosis is a rare condition that occurs when your body builds up too much iron. Elevated liver enzyme levels can be a symptom of the condition.
• All types of hepatitis: Any type of hepatitis, including hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, autoimmune hepatitis, and alcoholic hepatitis, causes liver inflammation and elevated liver enzymes.
• Cirrhosis: Cirrhosis is chronic liver damage. This damage causes elevated levels of liver enzymes.
• Liver cancer: Cancer that impacts your liver will also affect your liver enzyme levels.
• Hemolysis: Hemolysis is a type of anemia that occurs when your red blood cells are destroyed. It’s sometimes seen with alcohol-related liver diseases, and it can cause changes to liver enzyme levels.
• Thyroid disease: Hyperthyroidism can sometimes cause high levels of liver enzymes.
• Metabolic syndrome: Metabolic syndrome is a term that refers to a group of conditions that raise your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. These conditions include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and carrying excess weight around your midsection. People with metabolic syndrome may also have elevated liver levels.

The exact threshold for what is considered an elevated level or a typical level depends on your age, gender, health goals, and the values used by the specific lab. You can see some standard thresholds below.

• AST: under 36 U/L
• ALP: between 20 and 140 U/L
• ALT: under 25 U/L for women or under 33 U/L for men
• GGT: between 5 and 40 U/L

A liver function test might also measure:

• Albumin: between 35 and 50 U/L
• Bilirubin: between 0. 1 and 1.2 mg/dl

These values are not enzymes, but they’re also important chemicals made by your liver.

A liver function test is a standard blood draw. It can be done during a regular office visit. You don’t generally need any special preparation before a liver function test, although a doctor might ask you to fast for 12 to 24 hours before the blood draw. You can read more about liver function tests here.

The treatment for elevated liver enzymes depends on the cause. In many cases, liver enzyme levels return to normal on their own within about a month. You might need to switch medications, stop taking a supplement, or cut back on drinking if you drink, but you will not need a treatment plan.

In other cases, your doctor might need to treat the condition that’s raising your liver enzyme levels. They might order more tests, such as imaging tests, to get a better look at your liver or blood tests. They might also order a liver biopsy. Depending on your results, you might be referred to a specialist. Treatment will depend on your final diagnosis.

If you’re concerned your liver enzyme levels might be elevated, you might consider making some lifestyle changes at home, such as:

• reducing or eliminating alcohol from your diet
• being cautious about the medications and supplements you take
• staying active, including exercising regularly
• trying to add liver-friendly foods to your diet
• maintaining a moderate weight

Liver enzyme levels are an important indication of your liver’s health. When your enzyme levels are too high, it can be a symptom of liver damage or disease.

Some causes of elevated liver levels, such as hormonal changes or certain medications, are temporary and might resolve without treatment. Other causes are more serious and can include conditions such as cirrhosis, hepatitis C, and liver cancer.

Treatment for high liver enzyme levels depends on the cause.

ALT and AST what is it?

ALT ( alanine aminotransferase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase) – belong to aminotransferase enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism. They are also called liver enzymes. They are found mainly in the cells of the liver and in other organs: pancreas, heart, kidneys, muscle tissue. A small amount of ALT and AST may appear in the blood due to physiological processes. However, in case of liver diseases (infectious or toxic hepatitis, tumor), damage to the liver cells occurs, the permeability of cell membranes is impaired and a large amount of ALT and AST enzymes are released into the blood – as a result, a cytolytic syndrome develops.

ALT and AST transaminases are specific markers of liver disease. Indications for their appointment may be the following:

• Presence of symptoms: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin and sclera, lethargy.
• laboratory diagnostics of liver diseases: viral hepatitis A, B, C, toxic hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (steatohepatitis), alcoholic liver disease, cirrhosis of the liver.
• Monitoring the dynamics of therapy for liver diseases.

Norms for the content of liver enzymes in the blood:

Reasons for increasing ALT, AST (hepatic and extrahepatic)

The level of ALT in acute viral or drug-induced hepatitis can rise 50 times or more. With steatohepatitis and alcoholic liver disease, the increase in ALT is moderate – no more than 5 times. In chronic hepatitis, there is an increase in ALT by about 7 times. In cirrhosis, ALT and AST values ​​increase by 3-5 times, while AST may be higher than ALT.

During pregnancy, a woman’s body experiences an increased load, so there may be a slight increase in transaminases.

Currently, macro-AST-emia syndrome has become known – this is a rare condition in which complexes are formed in the human body from the AST molecule and immunoglobulin. This condition may be hereditary or associated with liver disease. It is characterized by a prolonged and asymptomatic increase in alanine aminotransferase in the blood.

An important diagnostic value is not only an increase in the level of transaminases, but also a decrease. A decrease in ALT and AST below normal indicates end-stage cirrhosis or severe liver damage in hepatitis. This is an extremely unfavorable sign, as it indicates the total destruction of liver cells.

Liver diagnostics – ALT blood test

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is an enzyme found in cells. Its main amount is concentrated in the liver, so the test is used as an indicator of the presence of liver diseases. It is used to diagnose cirrhosis and hepatitis in combination with other tests. The main function of the enzyme in the body is the release of energy from food. Normally, the concentration of the enzyme should not exceed 45 U / l. This rate is set for adults over 18 years of age. In children, normal values ​​vary with age.

Indications for examination

An examination of the liver condition is performed if the patient has the following symptoms:

• fatigue;
• pain in the right hypochondrium;
• jaundice of the sclera and skin;
• abdominal enlargement;
• dark urine;
• vomiting and nausea;
• pruritus.

Indicators may increase in the following cases: with the abuse of alcohol, hereditary predisposition to liver disease, viral hepatitis, taking a number of medications. The test is often included in a preventive examination program.

General

Normally, only a small amount of the enzyme can be present in the bloodstream. The release of a large amount of ALT occurs with large-scale cell damage. This organ is located in the abdominal cavity (top right), takes part in many vital processes. The liver is involved in the processing of nutrients, the synthesis of many proteins, the production of bile, and it breaks down toxic substances that are potentially harmful to the body.

An ALT blood test is necessary to check the condition of the liver in patients who are taking drugs that are potentially harmful to this organ and in patients with hepatitis. It should be borne in mind that an increase in the level of this enzyme is not always associated with liver pathologies. It is also found in other organs, so an increase in performance may indicate their pathology.

ALT and AST are the most important liver indications . In many cases, tests for the amount of these enzymes are done at the same time. In the diagnosis, both indicators and their ratio are used (it can be used to determine the cause of liver damage). During treatment, tests are carried out several times at regular intervals to monitor the dynamics of the patient’s condition.

Interpretation of results

Reference values ​​are determined according to the age and sex of the patient. In men, normal values ​​may be higher than in women. As a rule, the results of the study are ready the next day after donating blood. For their interpretation, you must consult a doctor. Self-medication is unacceptable, as it can cause irreparable harm to health.

Reasons for the increase in ALT:

• mononucleosis;
• alcoholism;
• cirrhosis of the liver;
• malignant neoplasm;
• hepatitis;
• heart failure;
• muscle injury;
• kidney damage;
• sunstroke.