Liver Markers

Importance: A protein synthesized by the liver that helps maintain oncotic pressure and transports various substances in the blood.

Functions:

• Regulates blood volume and pressure.
• Binds and transports hormones, vitamins, and drugs.

Abnormal Levels: Low levels may indicate chronic liver disease, kidney disease, or malnutrition.

Importance: An enzyme found in the liver and bone; high levels can indicate liver or bone disorders.

Functions:

• Breaks down proteins and is involved in bile production.

Abnormal Levels: Elevated ALP can suggest liver disease, bile duct obstruction, or bone disease.

Importance: An enzyme that helps assess liver function and bile duct health.

Functions:

• Involved in the metabolism of glutathione and drug metabolism.

Abnormal Levels: High GGT levels are often associated with liver disease and excessive alcohol consumption.

Importance: A group of proteins in the blood important for immune response and transport functions.

Functions:

• Transports ions, hormones, and lipids; plays a role in immune function.

Abnormal Levels: Elevated globulin may indicate chronic inflammation or liver disease.

Importance: An enzyme that indicates liver health; levels rise with liver damage.

Functions:

• Catalyzes the conversion of aspartate and alpha-ketoglutarate to oxaloacetate and glutamate.

Abnormal Levels: High AST levels can indicate liver disease, myocardial infarction, or muscle disorders.

Importance: An enzyme more specific to the liver than AST; elevated levels suggest liver injury.

Functions:

• Converts alanine and alpha-ketoglutarate to pyruvate and glutamate.

Abnormal Levels: Elevated ALT levels are indicative of acute liver injury or hepatitis.

Importance: Measures the total amount of protein in the blood, including albumin and globulins.

Functions:

• Provides insight into nutritional status and liver function.

Abnormal Levels: Low total protein may suggest liver disease or malnutrition.

Importance: A byproduct of red blood cell breakdown; important for assessing liver function.

Functions:

• Bilirubin is conjugated in the liver to become water-soluble for excretion.

Abnormal Levels:

• High total bilirubin may indicate liver dysfunction or hemolysis.
• Direct bilirubin elevation suggests bile duct obstruction.
• Indirect bilirubin elevation may indicate increased red blood cell breakdown.

Importance: Used to assess liver function and protein synthesis capabilities.

Functions:

• Aids in diagnosing various conditions related to the liver and immune system.

Abnormal Levels: A low ratio suggests possible liver dysfunction or chronic inflammatory states.

Importance:This ratio helps differentiate between types of liver disease.

Functions:

• Evaluates the relative levels of AST to ALT for diagnostic purposes.

Abnormal Levels:A ratio greater than 2 is commonly associated with alcoholic liver disease.

Importance:A waste product from protein metabolism; elevated levels can indicate liver failure.

Functions:

• Naturally converted to urea by the liver for excretion through urine.

Abnormal Levels:High ammonia levels can lead to hepatic encephalopathy.

Importance:Measures bile acids in the blood; reflects liver function and bile flow.

Functions:

• Important for digestion and absorption of fats.

Abnormal Levels:Elevated serum bile acids suggest cholestasis or liver dysfunction.

• Fatty Liver Formula #1 (Based on ALT and GGT):
• A composite score that uses ALT and GGT levels to evaluate fatty liver disease risk.
• Fatty Liver Index:
• A scoring system based on clinical parameters to estimate fatty liver disease severity.
• Hepatosteatosis Index:
• An index that assesses the degree of fat accumulation in the liver.
• NAFLD (Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease) Scores:
• Liver Fat Score: Evaluates the amount of fat in the liver.
• Liver Ridge Score: Assesses risk factors associated with NAFLD.
• Liver Fibrosis Score: Estimates fibrosis severity in NAFLD patients.
• Fibrosis-4 Score (FIB-4):
• A non-invasive test that uses age, AST, ALT, and platelet count to estimate liver fibrosis level.