Acute Liver Injury Tests
The liver is a complex organ with many contributions to homeostasis that are often not appreciated until liver function declines. The liver has the capacity to rebound and regenerate after a variety of acute chemically or virally induced insults, but it is vulnerable to chronic chemical or infectious damage.,
What blood tests are appropriate for a patient with a suspected acute liver injury?
When acute liver injury (ALI) is suspected, a panel of blood tests is used to assess liver function, enzyme levels, and possible underlying causes. Key tests include:
1. Liver Enzyme Tests (Markers of Hepatocellular Injury)
- Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) – Highly specific to liver injury; elevated in hepatitis and toxic liver damage.
- Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) – Less specific than ALT; also found in muscle and cardiac tissue. AST > ALT may suggest alcoholic liver injury.
- Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) – Elevated in biliary obstruction, cholestasis, or infiltrative liver disease.
- Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) – Used to differentiate liver from bone disease when ALP is high; commonly elevated in alcoholic liver disease.
2. Liver Function Tests (Assess Synthetic Ability)
- Bilirubin (Total & Direct) – Elevated in liver dysfunction, cholestasis, or hemolysis. Direct (conjugated) bilirubin rises in bile duct obstruction; indirect (unconjugated) bilirubin suggests hepatocellular dysfunction…
When acute liver injury (ALI) is suspected, a panel of blood tests is used to assess liver function, enzyme levels, and possible underlying causes. Key tests include:
1. Liver Enzyme Tests (Markers of Hepatocellular Injury)
- Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) – Highly specific to liver injury; elevated in hepatitis and toxic liver damage.
- Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) – Less specific than ALT; also found in muscle and cardiac tissue. AST > ALT may suggest alcoholic liver injury.
- Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) – Elevated in biliary obstruction, cholestasis, or infiltrative liver disease.
- Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) – Used to differentiate liver from bone disease when ALP is high; commonly elevated in alcoholic liver disease.
2. Liver Function Tests (Assess Synthetic Ability)
- Bilirubin (Total & Direct) – Elevated in liver dysfunction, cholestasis, or hemolysis. Direct (conjugated) bilirubin rises in bile duct obstruction; indirect (unconjugated) bilirubin suggests hepatocellular dysfunction…
