When you get a copy of your liver function test report, how can you read the various medical symbols on it? Let’s learn together the main indicators on the lab report and their respective clinical significance. 1. Albumin (normal range 3.5-5.3g/L) Albumin is a protein synthesized mainly by the liver and can be easily measured. It is the main component of total protein (residual globulin). Albumin levels decrease in chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis. It also decreases in nephrotic syndrome and is lost through the urine. 2. Glutathione transaminase (normal range 7-56 IU / L) Glutathione transaminase (ALT), formerly known as serum glutathione transaminase, is an enzyme necessary for energy production. It is present in many tissues, including the liver, heart and skeletal muscle, but is found in the highest concentrations in the liver. Because of this, it is used in combination with other liver enzymes to detect jaundice free liver disease, especially hepatitis or cirrhosis. In addition, it is then combined with a test for aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to help distinguish between heart damage and liver tissue damage. 3. Aspartate aminotransferase (normal range 5-47 IU / L) is also called aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum glutamic oxaloacetic aminotransferase (SGOT) or aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) because it is another enzyme related to liver parenchymal cells similar to ALT. Serum measurements of this enzyme are elevated in acute liver injury, but AST is also present in red blood cells, heart and skeletal muscle and is therefore not liver specific. Sometimes the ratio of AST to ALT is an important reference to distinguish the cause of liver impairment. elevated AST levels do not necessarily indicate liver impairment, as AST is also used as a marker for cardiac impairment. 4.Alkaline phosphatase (normal range 30-120 IU/L) Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is an enzyme found in the bile duct cells of the liver. Plasma levels of ALP rise when there is bold duct obstruction, intrahepatic cholestasis, or infiltrative liver disease. ALP is also found in bone and placental tissue, so it is also high in growing children (whose bones are being altered) and in older patients with Paget’s disease. 5. Total bilirubin (normal range 0.2-1.2 mg/dl) Bilirubin is a breakdown product of hemoglobin (a component of hemoglobin). The liver is responsible for removing bilirubin from the blood. By the following mechanism: bilirubin is taken up by hepatocytes, conjugated (giving it water solubility) and secreted into the bile and excreted into the intestine. An increase in total bilirubin can cause jaundice and can account for a number of things: (1) Prehepatic: increased bilirubin production. This can be due to certain causes such as hemolytic anemia and internal bleeding; (2) hepatic: i.e., a problem with the liver, where a liver lesion causes a defect in bilirubin metabolism (because of reduced bilirubin uptake by hepatocytes, impaired bilirubin modification, and reduced bilirubin secretion by hepatocytes). Specific lesions are cirrhosis and viral hepatitis; (3) posthepatic: i.e., bile duct obstruction, reflecting poor bilirubin excretion. (The obstruction can be located in the intrahepatic or extrahepatic bile ducts). 6, direct bilirubin (normal range 0.1-0.4mg/dl) The detection of direct bilirubin level can greatly narrow the scope of diagnosis of liver disease. If the direct (i.e. conjugated) bilirubin is normal, then it is the elevated level of indirect bilirubin (non-conjugated bilirubin) that is the problem of upstream bilirubin excretion. There is a possibility of hemolytic disease, viral hepatitis, and cirrhosis of the liver. If the direct bilirubin is elevated, it means that the liver synthesizes direct bilirubin normally, but bilirubin is not excreted. Gallstones or cancer with bile duct obstruction should be highly suspected. 7. γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (normal range 0-42 IU / L) This indicator is more sensitive than ALP in detecting liver and cholestatic injury. γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) may be elevated in mild subclinical liver insufficiency. It can also help determine the cause of liver damage where there is only an elevation of ALP (e.g., elevated GGT in chronic alcoholism). We have briefly explained some of the main indicators of liver function tests above, if you have any questions, please feel free to consult with us online or call us! Wish you good health!