title: What is the real function of the liver 'function' tests?
abstract: Liver enzymes are commonly used in the evaluation of patients with a range of diseases. Classically they are used to give information on whether a patient's primary disorder is hepatitic or cholestatic in origin. However, knowledge of enzyme ratios and pattern recognition allow much more information to be derived from these simple tests. This paper offers an insight to generalists on how to extractgreater information from these tests in order to improve theinvestigation and management of liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Royal Victoria Hospital Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BA.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Johnny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cash
mesh_terms: D002779:Cholestasis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008111:Liver Function Tests
references.citation: Liver Transpl. 2009 Oct;15(10):1254-61
references.pmid: 19790153
references.citation: Hepatology. 1999 Dec;30(6):1356-62
references.pmid: 10573511
references.citation: J Hepatol. 2009 Aug;51(2):237-67
references.pmid: 19501929
references.citation: J Clin Gastroenterol. 2002 Mar;34(3):255-62
references.pmid: 11873108
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 1984 Apr;86(4):632-6
references.pmid: 6698365
references.citation: Expert Opin Drug Saf. 2003 May;2(3):287-304
references.pmid: 12904107
references.citation: J Hepatol. 1999 Nov;31(5):929-38
references.pmid: 10580593
references.citation: Hepatology. 2007 Apr;45(4):846-54
references.pmid: 17393509
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 1999 Apr;94(4):1018-22
references.pmid: 10201476
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 1988 Sep;95(3):734-9
references.pmid: 3135226
references.citation: Hepatology. 2000 Apr;31(4):1005-13
references.pmid: 10733559
references.citation: Hepatology. 2008 Oct;48(4):1167-74
references.pmid: 18798336
references.citation: Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2000 Jul;56(4):329-33
references.pmid: 10954348
references.citation: Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2008;120(1-2):25-30
references.pmid: 18239988
references.citation: World J Gastroenterol. 2009 Feb 7;15(5):591-4
references.pmid: 19195061
references.citation: Hepatology. 2010 Apr;51(4):1302-10
references.pmid: 20044810
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 2002 Apr 18;346(16):1221-31
references.pmid: 11961152
references.citation: Gut. 2008 Oct;57(10):1441-7
references.pmid: 18390575
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2001 Nov;96(11):3142-6
references.pmid: 11721762
references.citation: Minerva Gastroenterol Dietol. 2009 Mar;55(1):5-22
references.pmid: 19212304
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2009 Sep;104(9):2206-13
references.pmid: 19491836
references.citation: Hepatology. 2007 Sep;46(3):912-21
references.pmid: 17705266
references.citation: Gut. 1986 Nov;27(11):1377-81
references.pmid: 3792921
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 1986 Nov;81(11):1029-34
references.pmid: 3776948
references.citation: Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2004 Jun;28(6):949-56
references.pmid: 15201638
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 1972 Nov;63(5):820-33
references.pmid: 4538724
references.citation: Dig Dis Sci. 1986 May;31(5):449-53
references.pmid: 2870885
references.citation: Hepatology. 2006 May;43(5):1145-51
references.pmid: 16628637
references.citation: Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2006 Oct 15;24(8):1197-205
references.pmid: 17014578
references.citation: Liver Int. 2007 Jun;27(5):694-9
references.pmid: 17498256
references.citation: Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1983 Summer;7(3):312-5
references.pmid: 6353982
references.citation: Dig Dis Sci. 1979 Nov;24(11):835-8
references.pmid: 520102
references.citation: Dig Dis Sci. 1985 Mar;30(3):211-4
references.pmid: 2857631
references.citation: Hepatology. 2007 Aug;46(2):582-9
references.pmid: 17661414
references.citation: Clin Gastroenterol. 1981 May;10(2):417-41
references.pmid: 7018751
references.citation: Hepatology. 2003 Jun;37(6):1286-92
references.pmid: 12774006
references.citation: Alcohol Alcohol. 2004 Jul-Aug;39(4):336-9
references.pmid: 15208167
references.citation: Obes Surg. 2004 Aug;14(7):952-8
references.pmid: 15329185
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2005 Feb;100(2):295-8
references.pmid: 15667485
references.citation: CMAJ. 2005 Feb 1;172(3):367-79
references.pmid: 15684121
references.citation: J Hepatol. 1999;31 Suppl 1:9-16
references.pmid: 10622554
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 1981 Apr;80(4):687-92
references.pmid: 6162704