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Understanding Liver Function Tests

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14 views5 pages

Understanding Liver Function Tests

Uploaded by

mandawa786
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

National Institutes of Health / National Library of Medicine

Home → Medical Tests → Liver Function Tests

URL of this page: [Link]

Liver Function Tests


What are liver function tests?
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 your liver. The different substances are often
tested at the same time on a single blood sample, and may include the following:

Albumin [[Link] , a protein made in the liver


Total protein. This test measures the total amount of protein in the blood.
ALP [[Link] (alkaline phosphatase), ALT
[[Link] (alanine transaminase), AST [[Link]
tests/ast-test/] (aspartate aminotransferase), and gamma-glutamyl tansferase (GGT)
[[Link] . These are different enzymes made
by the liver.
Bilirubin [[Link] , a waste product made by the liver.
Lactate dehydrogenase (LD) [[Link] , 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) [[Link] , 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
[[Link] .

Other names: liver panel, liver function panel, liver profile hepatic function panel, LFT

What are they used for?


Liver function tests are most often used to:

Help diagnose liver diseases, such as hepatitis [[Link]


Monitor treatment of liver disease. These tests can show how well the treatment is working.
Check how badly a liver has been damaged or scarred by disease, such as cirrhosis
[[Link]
Monitor side effects of certain medicines
Why do I need liver function testing?
You may need liver function testing if you have symptoms of liver disease. These include:

Jaundice [[Link] , a condition that causes your skin and eyes to turn yellow
Nausea and vomiting [[Link]
Diarrhea [[Link]
Abdominal pain [[Link]
Dark-colored urine
Light-colored stool
Fatigue [[Link]

You may also need these tests if you have certain risk factors. You may be at higher risk for liver disease if you:

Have a family history of liver disease


Have alcohol use disorder, [[Link] a condition in which you have
difficulty controlling how much you drink
Think you have been exposed to a hepatitis virus
Take medicines that may cause liver damage

What happens during a liver function test?


A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is
inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle
goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.

Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?


You may need to fast [[Link] (not eat or drink) for 10-12 hours
before the test.

Are there any risks to the test?


There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was
put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.

What do the results mean?


If one or more of your liver function test results were not normal, it may mean your liver is damaged or not working
properly. Liver damage can be caused by a number of different conditions, including:

Hepatitis A [[Link]
Hepatitis B [[Link]
Hepatitis C [[Link]
Alcohol use disorder, [[Link] which includes alcoholism.
Liver cancer
Diabetes [[Link]
If you have questions about your results, talk to your health care provider.

Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results [[Link]
tests/how-to-understand-your-lab-results/] .
Is there anything else I need to know about liver function tests?
If any of your liver function tests were not normal, your provider may need more tests to confirm or rule out a specific
diagnosis. These tests may include more blood tests and/or a liver biopsy [[Link] . A
biopsy is a procedure that removes a small sample of tissue for testing.

References
1. Cleveland Clinic [Internet]. Cleveland (OH): Cleveland Clinic; c2019. Liver Function Tests: Overview; [cited 2019 Aug 26];
[about 3 screens]. Available from:
[Link] [[Link]
7662-liver-function-tests]
2. Cleveland Clinic [Internet]. Cleveland (OH): Cleveland Clinic; c2019. Liver Function Tests: Test Details; [cited 2019 Aug 26];
[about 3 screens]. Available from:
[Link] [[Link]
agnostics/17662-liver-function-tests/test-details]
3. Kids Health from Nemours [Internet]. Jacksonville (FL): The Nemours Foundation; c1995–2019. Blood Test: Liver Function
Tests; [cited 2019 Aug 26]; [about 3 screens]. Available from:
[Link] [[Link]
4. Lab Tests Online [Internet]. Washington D.C.; American Association for Clinical Chemistry; c2001–2019. Biopsy; [updated
2017 Jul 10; cited 2019 Aug 26]; [about 2 screens]. Available from:
[Link] [[Link]
5. Lab Tests Online [Internet]. Washington D.C.; American Association for Clinical Chemistry; c2001–2019. Lactate
Dehydrogenase (LD); [updated 2018 Dec 20; cited 2019 Aug 26]; [about 2 screens]. Available from:
[Link] [[Link]
6. Lab Tests Online [Internet]. Washington D.C.; American Association for Clinical Chemistry; c2001–2019. Liver Panel;
[updated 2019 May 9; cited 2019 Aug 26]; [about 2 screens]. Available from:
[Link] [[Link]
7. Mayo Clinic [Internet]. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; c1998–2019. Liver Function Tests: About;
2019 Jun 13 [cited 2019 Aug 26]; [about 3 screens]. Available from:
[Link] [[Link]
dures/liver-function-tests/about/pac-20394595]
8. Merck Manual Consumer Version [Internet]. Kenilworth (NJ): Merck & Co., Inc.; c2019. Liver Function Tests; [updated 2017
May; cited 2019 Aug 26]; [about 2 screens]. Available from:
[Link]
er-function-tests?query=liver%20panel [[Link]
ver,-gallbladder,-and-biliary-disorders/liver-function-tests?query=liver%20panel]
9. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Blood
Tests; [cited 2019 Aug 26]; [about 3 screens]. Available from:
[Link] [[Link]
10. UF Health: University of Florida Health [Internet]. Gainesville (FL): University of Florida Health; c2019. Liver function tests:
Overview; [updated 2019 Aug 25; cited 2019 Aug 26]; [about 2 screens]. Available from:
[Link] [[Link]
11. University of Rochester Medical Center [Internet]. Rochester (NY): University of Rochester Medical Center; c2019. Health
Encyclopedia: Liver Panel; [cited 2019 Aug 26]; [about 2 screens]. Available from:
[Link] [[Link]
[Link]/encyclopedia/[Link]?ContentTypeID=167&ContentID=liver_panel]
12. UW Health [Internet]. Madison (WI): University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority; c2019. Health Information: Liver
Function Panel: Topic Overview; [updated 2018 Jun 25; cited 2019 Aug 26]; [about 2 screens]. Available from:
[Link] [[Link]
ver-function-panel/[Link]]
13. UW Health [Internet]. Madison (WI): University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority; c2019. Health Information: Liver
Function Tests: Exam Overview; [updated 2018 Jun 25; cited 2019 Aug 26]; [about 2 screens]. Available from:
[Link] [[Link]
lth/topic/testdetail/liver-function-tests/[Link]#hw144367]
Show references

Related Health Topics

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) [[Link]

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) Treatment [[Link]

Biopsy [[Link]

Cirrhosis [[Link]

Hepatitis [[Link]

Hepatitis A [[Link]

Hepatitis B [[Link]

Hepatitis C [[Link]

Jaundice [[Link]

Liver Diseases [[Link]

Related Medical Tests

Albumin Blood Test [[Link]

Alkaline Phosphatase [[Link]

ALT Blood Test [[Link]

AST Test [[Link]

Bilirubin Blood Test [[Link]

Bilirubin in Urine [[Link]

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) [[Link]


cmp/]

Fasting for a Blood Test [[Link]

Gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GGT) Test [[Link]


test/]

How to Understand Your Lab Results [[Link]

Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Test [[Link]

Prothrombin Time Test and INR (PT/INR) [[Link]

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have
questions about your health.
Learn how to cite this page

National Library of Medicine 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

National Institutes of Health

Last updated September 9, 2021

Common questions

Powered by AI

A family history of liver disease could necessitate liver function tests as a precautionary measure to detect potential hereditary tendencies towards liver dysfunction early on . Such genetic predispositions increase the risk, warranting regular testing to monitor liver health and initiate early interventions if abnormalities arise .

Fasting may be recommended for liver function tests to ensure accuracy, particularly for components like bilirubin and lipids that can be influenced by recent food intake . This prevents transient spikes in blood levels that could skew results and potentially lead to misinterpretation of the liver's condition .

A healthcare provider may order a liver function test to diagnose or monitor liver disease, evaluate liver damage, or check for side effects of medications . The results are interpreted by comparing blood levels of various markers against normal ranges; deviations may indicate liver dysfunction or disease processes like hepatitis or cirrhosis . An abnormal result might lead to further diagnostic testing to pinpoint the exact cause of liver dysfunction .

Abnormal liver function test results can suggest conditions beyond liver disease, such as diabetes or alcohol use disorder, due to their systemic impact on metabolic processes and cellular damage . Elevated enzymes like GGT and bilirubin might indicate metabolic or hematologic disorders, while abnormal PT can suggest clotting abnormalities that aren't solely liver-related .

ALP (alkaline phosphatase) differs from ALT (alanine transaminase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase) in that it's not solely indicative of liver cell injury but also relates to bile duct obstruction or bone disease . Elevated ALP levels with normal ALT and AST levels often point towards cholestatic disease rather than hepatocellular injury .

Following abnormal liver function test results, additional tests like a liver biopsy or more specific blood tests may be conducted to diagnose conditions accurately . A biopsy allows for direct examination of liver tissues to identify specific diseases or damage, while additional blood tests can narrow down conditions such as viral hepatitis or metabolic disorders .

Jaundice, characterized by yellowing of the skin and eyes, is closely linked to liver function test results due to elevated bilirubin levels . As a waste product of red blood cell breakdown processed by the liver, high bilirubin levels in the bloodstream, reflected in the test, indicate liver's failure to process or excrete bilirubin effectively, leading to jaundice .

The potential risks of liver function testing are minimal, including slight pain or bruising at the needle insertion site . These are managed with simple measures such as applying pressure and using a band-aid to minimize bruising. Most symptoms resolve quickly and do not require further medical intervention .

Liver function tests measure key components such as enzymes (ALP, ALT, AST, GGT), proteins (Albumin, Total Protein), bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase (LD), and prothrombin time (PT). These components are significant because variations in their levels can indicate liver disease or damage, such as hepatitis or cirrhosis . Enzymes like ALT and AST are vital as they are markers of liver cell injury, while albumin and bilirubin levels can provide insight into liver's synthetic ability and bile processing efficiency .

Liver function tests play a crucial role in diagnosing hepatitis by measuring enzymes and proteins that indicate liver inflammation and damage, such as elevated ALT and AST levels . They are also used to monitor the effectiveness of treatment by tracking changes in these markers over time. Continued abnormalities might necessitate treatment adjustments or further interventions .

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