TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of abnormal liver tests
AU - Rochling, Fedja A.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Serum liver tests are important but often problematic in evaluating patients with and without symptoms of hepatic disease. The common term "liver function tests" is misleading because most tests used in clinical practice measure hepatocellular damage not function. True liver function tests are those that measure synthesis of proteins made by the liver (albumin, clotting factors) or the liver's capacity to metabolize drugs. A commonly ordered panel of automated tests includes bilirubin, aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase. This article reviews patterns of elevated enzyme values encountered in liver diseases and their diagnostic limitations and provides an algorithm for evaluating abnormal liver test results.
AB - Serum liver tests are important but often problematic in evaluating patients with and without symptoms of hepatic disease. The common term "liver function tests" is misleading because most tests used in clinical practice measure hepatocellular damage not function. True liver function tests are those that measure synthesis of proteins made by the liver (albumin, clotting factors) or the liver's capacity to metabolize drugs. A commonly ordered panel of automated tests includes bilirubin, aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase. This article reviews patterns of elevated enzyme values encountered in liver diseases and their diagnostic limitations and provides an algorithm for evaluating abnormal liver test results.
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U2 - 10.1016/S1098-3597(01)90074-2
DO - 10.1016/S1098-3597(01)90074-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 11501190
AN - SCOPUS:0034887752
SN - 1098-3597
VL - 3
SP - 1
EP - 12
JO - Clinical Cornerstone
JF - Clinical Cornerstone
IS - 6
ER -