Clinical Renal and Hepatic Disease Flashcards
(362 cards)
What are the different types of tests to diagnose liver disease?
Medical history
Blood tests
Imaging
Liver biopsy- local anaesthetic
Name the blood tests used for diagnosis of liver disease:
LFTs
Electrolytes
FBC- end stage causes bone marrow suppression
Viral screens- see if its hepatitis/ viral cause
Blood clotting- prothrombin time
Name the imaging tests used for diagnosis of liver disease:
Ultrasound
CT scan
MRI
Name the main LFTs used for liver disease diagnosis:
Aspartate transaminase (AST)
Alanine transaminase (ALT)
Describe the role of AST in the liver:
Role in gluconeogenesis
Catalyses reversible conversion of aspartate and alpha ketoglutarate to oxaloacetate and glutamate
Found in hepatocytes, but also other tissues including heart, brain and skeletal muscle
What is the reference range for AST?
5-40IU/L
Describe the role of ALT in the liver:
Also role in gluconeogenesis
Catalyses reversible transfer of an amino group from L-alanine to alpha ketoglutarate resulting in pyruvate and L-glutamate
More specific to liver
What is the reference range for ALT?
5-30IU/L
What do the levels of AST and ALT mean?
Very high levels in acute viral/toxic hepatitis
High levels in cholestatic jaundice/ cirrhosis
Ratio of AST/ATL useful in diagnosing different types of liver disease e.g AST/ALT more than 2 possibly due to alcohol injury, most other liver injuries ratio is less than 1
Name the non-main LFTs used for liver disease diagnosis:
Gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT)
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
What is useful about the GGT test?
Can be used as a use of alcohol consumption/ abuse
Levels drop after 3-6 weeks
Describe the role of GGT in the liver:
Catalyses transfer of gamma glutaryl moiety of glutathione to an a.a, peptide or water (forming glutamate)
Also in kidneys, pancreas and prostate
What is the reference range of GGT?
5-45IU/L
What do the levels of GGT mean?
Very high levels in biliary obstruction, lower increased levels in chronic alcohol or drug toxicity, hepatitis, cirrhosis or cholestasis
Describe the role of ALP in the liver:
Removes phosphate groups from nucleotides, proteins and alkaloids
Also in bone marrow, intestinal wall, renal tubules and placenta
What is the reference range of ALP?
20-100IU/L
What do the levels of ALP mean?
Very high levels in biliary obstruction
Describe the bilirubin test in blood tests for liver disease:
Reference range 0-17µmol/L
Jaundice occurs at more than 35µmol/L
Increases reflects depth of jaundice and useful for monitoring disease progression
Can measure total levels or difference conjugated/ unconjugated bilirubin
What is the difference between conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin?
Conjugated from the liver
Unconjugated from RBC/heme breakdown
Describe the plasma protein and albumin test in blood test for liver disease:
Reference ranges 60-80g/dL total protein
35-50g/dL albumin
Albumin is synthesised solely in the liver
Half life for plasma albumin is 20-26 days
Less than 20g/dL changes plasma protein pressure, leading to oedema
Why is the half life of albumin useful in determining?
As the half life is 20-26 days (long), a reduction can indicate long term damage due to extended half life which can’t be decreased immediately
What is the prothrombin time?
Reference range 10-15 secs
Increase PT when lack of clotting factors
PT depends on factor II,VII and X and will increase if these factors aren’t produced
If hepatocellular damage, liver can’t produce clotting factor as its unresponsive to vit K
If cholestasis increase in PT due to deficiency in bile salts responsible for vit K absorption so responsive to vit K
What is the treatment for cholestasis when PT is increased?
IV 10mg Vitamin K for 3 days
Describe the urea and ammonia test in blood tests for liver disease:
Reference range for urea: 2.5-7.8 mol/L
Reference range for ammonia: 16-60(M), 11-51(F) µmol/L
Urea decreases in liver disease
Ammonia increases in liver disease, hepative encephalopathy- due to failure of liver to convert ammonia to urea