Abnormal liver blood test results are relatively common and most people with these results have normal liver function. However, any abnormality does need to be investigated to find out what the cause is. Scans may be performed to help understand the cause of the abnormality and also to assess how significant any damage is. These may include imaging scans such as ultrasound, elastography scans such as FibroScan, CT or MRI scans , which help doctors get a better picture of the extent of any damage to the liver.
In certain cases a liver biopsy where a tiny piece of tissue is taken from the liver for examination may be considered to specifically diagnose a condition or provide information on the extent of scarring inside the liver. If you are very unwell, you may be referred or admitted to hospital, although this is unusual — only a very small number of people with abnormal liver blood tests require admission. Your doctor will explain your test results to you.
If they are abnormal, your doctor will also explain the most likely cause, and how severely affected your liver may be. When a patient has been found to have an abnormal liver blood test, the next step is to establish the cause. This requires a second panel set of blood tests that look for potential causes such as viruses, problems with the immune system and rarer inherited conditions.
If you have NAFLD, the next step is to investigate the extent of the condition and if the liver is scarred or damaged. The level of scarring can be assessed using specialist scans or blood tests and your doctor can explain these to you.
If these tests are not able to assess any damage accurately, a liver biopsy may be considered to provide more detailed information. Because NAFLD is commonly associated with being overweight, there is evidence to suggest that losing weight through diet and exercise helps reduce the amount of fat in the liver and damage done to it.
The Government advises that both men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units in a week. It is also important to have consecutive days off drinking a week to allow your liver to recover.
However, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence NICE guidelines recommend that if you drink alcohol in a harmful way, defined as more than 50 units of alcohol per week for men around 15 pints of beer and 35 units for women about 3. Not necessarily. If your results are abnormal your GP can advise you on the next steps to determine the cause and assess how serious the problem and any associated damage is.
You need to see specialists at this point, which your doctor will arrange. Liver blood tests are used to help determine the cause of symptoms such as jaundice that may be due to liver disease. They are also used to screen for potential liver damage, for example in problem drinkers or people exposed to the hepatitis virus, and also to monitor changes if liver blood tests are abnormal. These tests are used when symptoms suspicious of a liver condition are noticed. These include: jaundice , dark urine and light-coloured stools; nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea; loss of appetite; vomiting of blood; bloody or black stools; swelling or pain in the belly; unusual weight change; and fatigue or loss of stamina.
One or more of these tests may be requested when a person has been or may have been exposed to a hepatitis virus; has a family history of liver disease ; has excessive alcohol intake; or is taking a drug that can cause liver damage. It is important to note that abnormal results in the individual tests can occur in conditions that do not involve the liver or the bile ducts and that, conversely, normal results can be found in patients with serious liver disease.
However, one or more abnormal liver blood test results often point to a diagnosis or to further investigations. Depending on the history, examination and results of the liver blood tests your doctor may request one or more further tests including hepatitis virus antibodies A , B and C , alpha-fetoprotein AFP , alpha-1 antitrypsin mostly for children , copper, caeruloplasmin , iron and transferrin and smooth muscle antibody.
Sometimes imaging scans are requested. Many over-the-counter drugs and herbal or dietary supplements have the potential to affect the liver.
Excessive paracetamol use and the combination of paracetamol and alcohol for instance can cause severe liver damage, as can exposure to toxins such as poisonous mushrooms. Yes, liver disease often causes no symptoms or mild nonspecific symptoms, such as fatigue and nausea. Yes, many conditions including shock, burns, severe infections, trauma, muscle damage from severe exercise and pregnancy can cause one or more of the liver blood tests to be abnormal.
Some liver conditions may be inherited, such as haemochromatosis, Wilson's disease and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
Early detection of these conditions allows them to be treated and managed appropriately. Liver Blood Tests. Send Us Your Feedback. Choose Topic At a Glance What is being tested? Also Known As. Formal Name. This article was last reviewed on 18 May This article was last modified on 18 May At a Glance. Why Get Tested? When To Get Tested? Sample Required?
A blood sample taken from a vein in your arm. Test Preparation Needed? Looking for Test Results? Your doctor may decide to test you for hepatitis, other infections, or other diseases that can affect the liver. They may also choose to do imaging, like an ultrasound or CT scan. They may recommend a liver biopsy to evaluate the liver for fibrosis, fatty liver disease, or other liver conditions. Fatty liver, or hepatic steatosis, is a broad term that describes the buildup of fats in the liver. Too much fat in the liver can cause liver….
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Liver Function Tests. Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M. What are the most common liver function tests? Why do I need a liver function test? What are the symptoms of a liver disorder? How to prepare for a liver function test. How a liver function test is performed. The risks of a liver function test. After a liver function test.
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