Hepatic test - an assessment of liver status. A fairly large number of laboratory tests today can be attributed to liver tests, and all of them characterize the condition of the liver and possible pathological processes in it.
Normal liver function:
- total protein - 65-85 g / l;
- creatinine 55-115 μmol / l;
- cholesterol - 3.5-5.2 mmol / l;
- lipoproteins - 35-55 units;
- cholesterol - 1.4-1.6 mmol / l;
- atherogenic coefficient up to 4;
- ALT - 8-56 U / L;
- AST 5-40 U / L;
- alkaline phosphatase 45-140 U / L;
- total bilirubin - 8.55-20.52 Mcmol / l:
- bound - 2.4-5.13 Mcmol / l,
- free - 6.41-15.39 Mkmol / l.
- C-reactive protein is negative.
If any liver pathology is suspected, a biochemical blood test is prescribed almost immediately with a determination of the level of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, and in practice they are called ALT and AST for short. Alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin with all its fractions, gamma glutamyl transferase and plasma proteins are also important indicators of the liver and gall bladder.
It must be understood that an elevated liver function test does not always indicate pathology. In practice, very often equipment malfunctions or patient malfunctions occur, so all liver tests must be repeated to clarify the result and monitor the dynamics of the process.
Hepatic tests also include: determining the antigenic composition to detect certain viral diseases, as well as determining the concentration of alpha1-antitrypsin. However, they can not be called often used, because their use is expensive and not very informative.
A liver test does not always reflect the state of the liver at the moment, because in some situations, the transferred diseases also leave their imprint on laboratory data.
If we talk about the objectivity of research, then the true liver tests, which reflect the ability of the liver to carry out its most important function, the detoxification of the whole body, are “told” about the work of the liver.
These indicators include the level of albumin. When it decreases, the liver is no longer working at full strength, which means that the body is clogged with its own waste. This enzyme is very sensitive to the quality of food, and is also closely associated with the work of the kidneys. Therefore, a 100% objective result after this test cannot be obtained.
A liver test is also a determination of the ability of the liver to form factors for blood coagulation. The essence of this test is to determine the prothromin time, which is closely related to vitamin K. That is why, if after the introduction of 10 mg of vitamin, the prothrombin index does not change, then the liver function is impaired.
As mentioned above, a specific screening of hepatic pathology is the determination of the level of serum transaminases - ALT and AST. This liver test is used to detect violations of catalytic reactions in the liver. However, many factors can affect the performance of this test (temperature, taking any drugs, hormonal and enzymatic status) - this also needs to be taken into account when making a diagnosis.
Determining the level of bilirubin and its fractions allows you not to resort to unnecessary cholecystectomy and make the correct diagnosis.
In practice, specific tests are often used to identify metabolic disorders in patients.
Autoimmune markers are used as liver function tests only if the patient has symptoms of an autoimmune disease to confirm or exclude the diagnosis.
In conclusion, it should be noted that a liver test is used as a control of the liver. The norm of all indicators can fluctuate at the level of the lower and upper boundaries. If the excess or decrease in the level of the indicator reaches the side chapel above two norms, then further examination of patients is necessary.