Abnormal Liver Function Tests
What does the liver do?
The liver is an important organ that sits just below the diaphragm on the right hand side of the abdomen. Its measures approximately 15cm in width and weighs up to 1.5kg. It has multiple important functions including:
– Detoxifying the blood
– Metabolizing medications
– Breaking down red blood cells
– Producing bile and bile acids which help with digestion
– Producing important proteins
– Regulating glycogen (carbohydrate) and fat metabolism
Abnormal Liver Function Tests
What does the liver do?
The liver is an important organ that sits just below the diaphragm on the right hand side of the abdomen. Its measures approximately 15cm in width and weighs up to 1.5kg. It has multiple important functions including:
– Detoxifying the blood
– Metabolizing medications
– Breaking down red blood cells
– Producing bile and bile acids which help with digestion
– Producing important proteins
– Regulating glycogen (carbohydrate) and fat metabolism
What are liver function tests?
Liver function tests, or LFTs, refer to a set of routine blood tests that measure some of the important processes involved in the functioning of the liver. These include:
– Bilirubin
– Albumin
– GGT
– ALP
– AST/ALT
Taken together, the LFTs form a pattern that can give important clues as to the health of the liver and possible reasons for poor function. The broad patterns of disease include:
(i) hepatitic picture (high AST/ALT)
(ii) obstructive picture (high GGT, ALP, Bilirubin)
(iii) mixed picture (all can be elevated)
Do abnormal liver function tests cause symptoms?
Most patients with mildly abnormal LFTs do not have any symptoms. However, as the liver function get worse, some patients start to feel generally unwell. This often manifests as fatigue, poor appetite, nausea and occasionally abdominal pain. Blockage to the bile outflow of the liver commonly causes itch, dark urine, pale stools and jaundice.
How do you diagnose abnormal liver diseases?
Diagnosing the cause of abnormal LFTs, and the underlying liver problem, requires a thorough history and examination. Additional blood tests are often required to check for infective, autoimmune and metabolic problems.
An ultrasound of the liver is a particularly useful test to check the appearance of the liver, the liver blood vessels, as well as the gallbladder and bile ducts.
A Fibroscan is a special type of liver ultrasound that measures the ‘stiffness’ of the liver. This correlates well with the amount of scar tissue present and gives a good idea into whether cirrhosis (irreversible scarring) is present.
If the above tests have not revealed a diagnosis then a liver biopsy is occasionally required.
How do you treat abnormal liver function tests?
The treatment depends on the Many underlying liver conditions to prevent scarring and long-term liver failure.