Liver
Labs
AST (SGOT)
- released into the serum when any one of these tissues is damaged (eg. elevated in heart attacks or with muscle injury)
- not a highly specific indicator of liver injury as its elevation can occur as a result of other injured tissues
- normal range of values for AST (SGOT) is about 5 to 40
ALT (SGPT)
- released into the bloodstream as the result of liver injury
- fairly specific indicator of liver status
- normal range of values for ALT (SGPT) is about 7 to 56
The exact levels of AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) cannot be used to determine the degree of liver disease or predict the future prognosis for liver function and do not correlate well with the extent of liver problems.
ALT and AST levels do not reflect the function of the liver, even though in the medical community and in medical publications they commonly, and incorrectly, are referred to as liver function tests, or AST or ALT tests and are only used to detect inflammation due to injury or damage to the liver from any source. Even in conditions when AST and ALT are very elevated, the liver still may function properly.
AST (SGOT)
- The enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (AST) is also known as serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT).
- released into the serum when any one of these tissues is damaged (eg. elevated in heart attacks or with muscle injury)
- not a highly specific indicator of liver injury as its elevation can occur as a result of other injured tissues
- normal range of values for AST (SGOT) is about 5 to 40
ALT (SGPT)
- Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is also known as serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT).
- released into the bloodstream as the result of liver injury
- fairly specific indicator of liver status
- normal range of values for ALT (SGPT) is about 7 to 56
The exact levels of AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) cannot be used to determine the degree of liver disease or predict the future prognosis for liver function and do not correlate well with the extent of liver problems.
ALT and AST levels do not reflect the function of the liver, even though in the medical community and in medical publications they commonly, and incorrectly, are referred to as liver function tests, or AST or ALT tests and are only used to detect inflammation due to injury or damage to the liver from any source. Even in conditions when AST and ALT are very elevated, the liver still may function properly.