Liver Labs

Question 1

Albumin Lab Range

Answer 1

3.5-5g/dL

Question 2

What is Albumin?

Answer 2

Albumin is aproteinmade by the liver. It’s one of the most abundant proteins in your blood, making up 60% of the total protein in the blood. This test is measuring the amount of albumin in the vascular space, indicating problems with the liver or kidneys.

Question 3

What does a decreased albumin level show?

Answer 3

Decreased levels can show cirrhosis of the liver related to the liver unable to make and store albumin.

Question 4

What is the Albumin lab looking at?

Answer 4

This test is used to measure hepatic and renal function

Question 5

When would you see a decrease in Albumin?

Answer 5

Decreased Albumin may be seen in: 
•	Infection
•	Burns
•	Surgery
•	Cancer
•	Diabetes
 and Hypothyroidism

Question 6

AST lab range?

Answer 6

10-35 units/L

Question 7

What is AST?

Answer 7

AST, or Aspartate aminotransferase, is anenzymefound in your heart, muscles and kidneys. When liver or muscle cells are injured, they release AST into the blood. This makes AST a useful test for detecting or monitoring liver damage.AST is an enzyme found in your liver that can be used to detect liver damage. When the liver becomes inflamed and damaged, the liver cells release AST; meaning the levels of AST become higher than normal. AST can also increase when other parts of the body are malfunctioning like the heart, kidneys, muscle, and brain. Very high levels of AST are usually due toacutehepatitis; AST often varies between normal and slightly increased with chronic hepatitis. AST can also increase when other parts of the body are malfunctioning like the heart (heart attacks), kidneys, muscle, and brain.

Question 8

ALT lab range?

Answer 8

4-36 Units/L

Question 9

What is ALT?

Answer 9

ALT, or Alanine aminotransferase, is anenzymefound in the liver and kidneys. This is used to identify hepatocellular diseases of the liver. ALT is an enzyme/protein that is found in your liver. When the liver cells are damaged and broken down by chronic liver disease, ALT leaks out of those cells and are released into the bloodstream, the ALT levels will become higher than normal.
ALSO:ALT
The function of ALT is to convert alanine, an amino acid found in proteins, into pyruvate, a key player in energy production

Question 10

LDH lab range?

Answer 10

100-190 units/L

Question 11

What is LDH?

Answer 11

LDH, or lactate dehydrogenase, is an enzyme found in almost every cell of your body, including yourblood, muscles,brain,kidneys, andpancreas.When cells are damaged or destroyed, this enzyme is released into the fluid portion of blood. LDH can also be released into other body fluid, including cerebrospinal fluid, which surrounds your brain and spinal cord. Higher LDH levels in your cerebrospinal fluid may mean you have an infection or inflammation in your central nervous system. It could also mean you have a disease that affects your brain or spinal cord, like bacterial meningitis.

Question 12

When can you see increased levels of LDH?

Answer 12

An elevated level of LD may be seen with:
• Hemolytic anemia
• Pernicious anemia (megaloblastic anemia)
• Infections such asinfectious mononucleosis (mono),meningitis,encephalitis,HIV
• Sepsis
• Intestinal and lung (pulmonary) infarction
• Acute kidney disease
• Acute liver disease
• Acute muscle injury
• Pancreatitis

Question 13

ALP lab range?

Answer 13

0.5-2

µkat/L

Question 14

What is ALP?

Answer 14

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is anenzymefound in severaltissuesthroughout the body. The highest concentrations of ALP are present in the cells that muscle skeletal system and liver.
Elevated levels of ALP in the blood are most commonly caused byliver diseaseor bone disorders. This test measures the level of ALP in the blood.
In the liver, ALP is found on the edges of cells that join to form bile ducts, tiny tubes that drainbilefrom the liver to the bowels, where it is needed to help digest fat in the diet. ALP in bone is produced by special cells calledosteoblaststhat are involved in the formation of bone. Each of the various tissue types produces distinct forms of ALP called isoenzymes.

Question 15

When can you see an increase in ALP?

Answer 15

Abnormal results may be due to the following conditions:
•	Biliary obstruction
•	Hepatitis
•	Cirrhosis
•	cholecystitis.
•	gallstone
•	Bone conditions
•	Osteoblastic bone tumors,osteomalacia, a fracture that is healing
•	Eating a fatty meal if you have blood type O or B
•	Hyperparathyroidism
•	Leukemia
•	Lymphoma
Rickets

Question 16

Ammonia lab range?

Answer 16

6- 47 µmol/dL

Question 17

What is Ammonia?

Answer 17

Ammonia is a waste product formed primarily bybacteriain the intestines during the digestion ofprotein. If not processed and cleared from the body appropriately, excess ammonia can accumulate in the blood and circulate to the brain. Ammonia is the byproduct of protein break down. Ammonia then travels to the liver to be converted to blood urea nitrogen which will be excreted by the kidneys.

This test measures the amount of ammonia in the blood. Elevated ammonia levels can show the liver’s inability to convert ammonia to blood urea nitrogen or excessive protein breakdown.

This test is used to assess liver function and to diagnose hepatic

Question 18

PT/INR lab range?

Answer 18

INR .8-1.1

PT
11-12.5

Question 19

What is PT/INR?

Answer 19

PT/INR are tested to evaluate the extrinsic pathway (the time it takes your blood to clot) specifically, the prothrombin time (PT) is a test that helps evaluate a person’s ability to appropriately form blood clots. The international normalized ratio or INR is a calculation based on results of a PT that is used to monitor individuals who are being treated with the blood-thinning medication.

Clotting factors (I, II, V, VII, IX, and X), fibrinogen and prothrombin are synthesized by the liver, this test indicates if they are being made and if they’re working.

With any liver diseases, the liver is not able to absorb Vit K that we get from nutrients and make these clotting factors. Therefore, the PT/INR time will increase.

Question 20

DIRECT BILIRUBIN lab range?

Answer 20

• 0.3-1.0

* mg/dL

Question 21

What is DIRECT BILIRUBIN?

Answer 21

Direct bilirubin is also called conjugated bilirubin. Unconjugated bilirubin is carried by proteins to the liver; there, sugars are attached (conjugated) to bilirubin to formconjugated bilirubin. Unconjugated bilirubin is the byproduct of RBC breakdown. The unconjugated bilirubin is conjugated by the liver and then formed into bile. Conjugated bilirubin enters thebileand passes from the liver to the small intestines; there, it is further broken down bybacteriaand eventually eliminated in the stool.Bile is then transferred to the gallbladder where it will be excreted in the urine and stool.

This test shows how well the liver is able to conjugate bilirubin and secrete this bile into the common bile ducts where it then is excreted or stored on the gallbladder.

This test is used to see how the liver is functioning.

Question 22

INDIRECT BILIRUBIN lab range?

Answer 22

0.2-0.8 mg/dL

Indirect bilirubin is the difference between total and direct bilirubin.

Question 23

What is INDIRECT BILIRUBIN?

Answer 23

As heme is released from hemoglobin, it is converted to bilirubin. This form of bilirubin is also calledunconjugated bilirubin. Unconjugated bilirubin is carried by proteins to the liver; there, sugars are attached to bilirubin to formconjugated bilirubin. This test measures the amount of unconjugated bilirubin. Unconjugated bilirubin is the byproduct of RBC breakdown. The unconjugated bilirubin is conjugated by the liver and then excreted into the bile.

This test shows the ability of the liver to conjugate bilirubin so it is able to be secreted or excreted into the bile.

This test is used to assess hepatic functioning.

Question 24

AFP lab range?

Answer 24

<40 mcg/L

Question 25

What is AFP?

Answer 25

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is aproteinproduced primarily by the liver in a developing fetus; Alpha-fetoprotein is typically a screening marker that can identify birth defects, such as neural tube defects. It also can be used in order to determine/identify tumor markers.
AFP is produced whenever liver cells are regenerating. With chronicliver diseases, such ashepatitisandcirrhosis, AFP may bechronicallyelevated.
Liver damage and certain cancers can increase AFP concentrations significantly. This test measures the level of AFP in the blood. For adults, this lab test helps identify cancer: ovarian, testicular, stomach, colon, lung, and liver are just a few of the cancers that can be identified by measurement of AFP.