LFTs :(

Question 1

what blood tests are used to assess liver function?

Answer 1

• alanine transaminase (ALT)
• aspartate aminotransfarase (AST)
• alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
• gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT)
• bilirubin
• albumin
• prothrombin time

Question 2

what is a marker of hepatocellular injury?

Answer 2

ALT

Question 3

when are high concentrations of ALT found within hepatocytes?

Answer 3

-following hepatocellular injury

Question 4

what is a useful marker for cholestasis?

Answer 4

increased ALP

Question 5

what is classed as raised ALP?

Answer 5

-raised more than 3 fold

Question 6

what is classed as raised ALT?

Answer 6

-raised more than 10 fold

Question 7

what should be reviewed if there is a raise in ALP?

Answer 7

-GGT

Question 8

what does raised GGT suggest?

Answer 8

biliary epithelial damage and bile flow obstruction

Question 9

what does a raised ALP and GGT highly suggest?

Answer 9

-cholestasis

Question 10

common cause of raised bilirubin, rest of LFTs normal?

Answer 10

• Gilbert’s syndrome

- haemolysis

Question 11

what may cause albumin levels to fall?

Answer 11

-cirrhosis

Question 12

what is ALT> AST associated with?

Answer 12

chronic liver disease

Question 13

what is AST> ALT associated with?

Answer 13

• cirrhosis

- acute alcoholic hepatitis