Liver function tests

allergic or drug reactions, pregnancy-specific causes of hepatic impairment, liver disease preexisting , or coincidental to pregnancy. (9:182) Sari’s pruritus is worse at night, concentrated to her palms with no rash noted, which is consistent with the manifestation of ICP. (10:3, 11:141) Additional signs and symptoms of ICP include pale stool, dark urine, which Sari reports, and rarely jaundice. (10:3). To further investigate the differential diagnosis of ICP the following laboratory tests would be ordered:, serum bile acid levels and liver function tests (LFTs). (10:3, 12:3) LFTs include aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Elevated levels of these markers can indicate hepatic injury and are present in almost 95% of ICP cases. (13:275-9) These tests cannot be ordered by a midwife as per the R.R.O Regulations Laboratory and Specimen Collection Centre Licensing Act, therefore consultation with a physician is required. (14) Differential diagnosis associated with elevated liver function tests (See Appendix B) include acute fatty liver of pregnancy, HELLP, preeclampsia, eclampsia, viral hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, drug induced hepatitis, biliary obstruction, hyperbilirubinemic states, primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. (12:3) It is necessary to rule out other potential cause of pruritus and abnormal liver function tests before a diagnosing ICP. (10:3) True diagnosis is confirmed when signs and…

hematochezia. Acute bleeding due to gastroesophageal varices in cirrhotic patients is associated with higher morbidity, mortality rates as well as development of life-threatening complications. This bleeding significantly increase protein concentration in the bowel which results in increased ammonia production by colonic bacteria and precipitation of development of hepatic encephalopathy [1]. Hepatic encephalopathy, a neurological dysfunction disorder including a wide spectrum of clinical…

The Seven Best Smoothie Cleanse Recipes for Your Liver What do you think about the words “detox” and “cleanse”? I know it makes some people roll their eyes. “You don’t need to detox,” they say, “your liver does it for you.” Actually, I always nod emphatically and agree! The purpose of a cleanse is to support the liver, the organ that purifies our body. And sure, a lot of detoxing happens without doing a thing. However, your lifestyle choices can directly impact how well your liver does its…

Case #1 Female 25 years old Kasey presented to lab test after a referral from her midwife on the 30th of March 2015 to confirm pregnancy. A CBC and HCG Quantification were ordered. On the 13th of August 2015, a new blood test CBC was taken as a procedure screening, which showed a decrease of hemoglobin, compared to in March. The patient showed no history of any complications or signs of fatigue. A screen for gestational diabetes mellitus was ordered to determine if the patient had diabetes. An…

BACKGROUND OF LIVER CIRRHOSIS Cirrhosis, also called hepatic fibrosis is a chronic disease that causes cell destruction and scarring of hepatic tissues. Scar tissues form because of long term disease or injury. Cirrhosis impairs the liver’s ability to function normally because scar tissue can not do what healthy liver tissue does. Scar tissue replaces the healthy liver tissue and blocks the normal flow of blood through the liver. Cirrhosis is a potentially life threatening condition because it…

Introduction HELLP syndrome is a serious liver disorder. The letters in HELLP stand for these problems: H – Hemolytic anemia, hemolysis. This refers to the destruction of blood cells. EL – Elevated liver enzymes. This is a sign of liver damage. LP – Low platelet count. This refers to blood cells that help stop bleeding. HELLP syndrome is thought to be severe type of preeclampsia, a disorder of pregnancy that causes high blood pressure and other problems. In most cases, the syndrome develops…

Your liver is the largest organ inside your body. It helps your body digest food, store energy, and remove poisons. Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. The progress to fibrosis (scanning), cirrhosis or liver cancer. Hepatitis viruses are the most common cause of hepatitis in the world but out infection, toxic substances (alcohol, certain drugs) and auto immune diseases can also cause hepatitis. There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as type A, B, C, D, and E. These 5 are of…

Disease of the Liver Cirrhosis is a progressive disease, it gradually develops over numerous years, in anticipation of stopping liver function. Muir’s (2015) stated “Cirrhosis is a form of chronic liver disease (CLD) resulting from sustained liver damage from several causes, including viral infection, autoimmune disorders, cholesteric and metabolic disease (e.g., nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases [NAFLD]), or heavy alcohol use” (p. 1822). The liver is the largest solid organ in the human body…

Background In 2014, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) published a new set of practice guidelines for Hepatic Encephalopathy (Vistrup et al., 2014). These guidelines define Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE) as “a brain dysfunction caused by liver insufficiency and/or portosystemic shunting, and manifests as a wide spectrum of neurological/psychiatric abnormalities ranging from subclinical alterations to coma”…

Cirrhosis of the liver can be detected by different tests and studies. They can be both invasive and non-invasive procedures. They range from a physical examination to diagnostic test and clinical findings. Diagnostic examinations include blood tests, serum-protein tests, various chemical tests, and ultrasound imaging among other assortments for detection is disease. Measuring the levels of certain chemicals produced by the liver can show how competently your liver is functiong. Blood tests may…