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What Does This LFT Report Indicate?
Question: hello I was tested for liver function test a week ago my AlT came at 88 and AST at 47. I was tested again today, 7 days later and my results were 91 and 51. I was also tested for hepatitis and all came negative. What could be the cause of this? Is there anything i ould do to drop the levels to normal and how long would it take for it to go down? Please advise and thank you for you help
Brief Answer:
there are various potential causes
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
a complete medical history is essential in interpreting any laboratory test, so more clinical details would be very helpful!
A mild transaminases elevation like this can be caused by many conditions. I'll refer to the most common ones and some others which are failry easy to detect.
One of the commonest causes is fatty liver. Fatty liver can be caused by obesity, diabetes, high alcohol consumption and other less common conditions. A liver ultrasound scan should suffice to diagnose fatty liver.
Drug use is another potential cause. Many drugs (including some OTC ones) cause liver damage and various patterns of disorders in liver function tests. NSAIDs, antibiotics, etc are commonly used (and abused) drugs which may cause it. We usually diagnose drug induced liver function tests elevation by excluding other causes.
Besides infectious hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis may also increase the transaminases. Autoimmune hepatitis can be suspected by an increased antinuclear antibody titer. Anti-LKM1, Anti-SMA and SLA can be also present, denending on the type of autoimmune hepatitis. Liver biopsy confirms the diagnosis.
Heart disease (stasis) may cause liver enlargement and liver function tests disorders. You should have symptoms of heart failure including shortness of breath and peripheral edema. A heart echo can confirm the diagnosis.
Common infectious diseases may transiently increase the transaminases and other liver function tests. Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and various commonly presenting viruses may do so.
Regarding resolution of this condition: if the offending factor has been removed (for example, loosing weight if you're obese) then a drop in transaminases values is expected. 1-2 weeks are usually required for the transaminases to get back to normal. Other liver function tests (like g-GT) might require even a month. If the offending factor is still active then no improvement is expected (obviously).
I hope you find my answer helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
there are various potential causes
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
a complete medical history is essential in interpreting any laboratory test, so more clinical details would be very helpful!
A mild transaminases elevation like this can be caused by many conditions. I'll refer to the most common ones and some others which are failry easy to detect.
One of the commonest causes is fatty liver. Fatty liver can be caused by obesity, diabetes, high alcohol consumption and other less common conditions. A liver ultrasound scan should suffice to diagnose fatty liver.
Drug use is another potential cause. Many drugs (including some OTC ones) cause liver damage and various patterns of disorders in liver function tests. NSAIDs, antibiotics, etc are commonly used (and abused) drugs which may cause it. We usually diagnose drug induced liver function tests elevation by excluding other causes.
Besides infectious hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis may also increase the transaminases. Autoimmune hepatitis can be suspected by an increased antinuclear antibody titer. Anti-LKM1, Anti-SMA and SLA can be also present, denending on the type of autoimmune hepatitis. Liver biopsy confirms the diagnosis.
Heart disease (stasis) may cause liver enlargement and liver function tests disorders. You should have symptoms of heart failure including shortness of breath and peripheral edema. A heart echo can confirm the diagnosis.
Common infectious diseases may transiently increase the transaminases and other liver function tests. Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and various commonly presenting viruses may do so.
Regarding resolution of this condition: if the offending factor has been removed (for example, loosing weight if you're obese) then a drop in transaminases values is expected. 1-2 weeks are usually required for the transaminases to get back to normal. Other liver function tests (like g-GT) might require even a month. If the offending factor is still active then no improvement is expected (obviously).
I hope you find my answer helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello
Thank you for replying to my question. I am 185 lbs. 5'9. I don't use drugs and have not drank alcohol in a 35 days. I exercise often however i haven't trained for a couple of weeks. My hepatitis results came in negative i did use testosterone in early 2014 however my LFT result in September of 2014 were fine. I do not have the symptoms of heart disease that you mentions. The only think i feel is a weird tightness feeling from time to time on my lower abdomen more on the right side as well as some tightness on my lower right back but that could be due to herniated discs. I will not be able to get to ultrasound testing for another 2 months to do further analysis. My question is how concern should i be? is it something that require immediate attention or is it something that can wait for a couple of months? Also if it is Fatty liver what else can i do to bring my levels down besides exercising?
Thank you very much for your prompt respond
Brief Answer:
loosing some weight
Detailed Answer:
You're welcome!
Such low levels of enzyme disorders are usually clinically insignificant but it all depends on the cause. A repeat measurement of the liver function tests is required to make sure that the values are not getting any worse. The ultrasound scan may detect structural abnormalities like fat infiltration.
If you do have fatty liver then loosing some weight and increasing your physical activity is the right way to go. There are no drugs indicated against fatty liver.
Kind Regards!
loosing some weight
Detailed Answer:
You're welcome!
Such low levels of enzyme disorders are usually clinically insignificant but it all depends on the cause. A repeat measurement of the liver function tests is required to make sure that the values are not getting any worse. The ultrasound scan may detect structural abnormalities like fat infiltration.
If you do have fatty liver then loosing some weight and increasing your physical activity is the right way to go. There are no drugs indicated against fatty liver.
Kind Regards!
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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