Specimen Collection

The liver function test profile includes:

• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
• Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
• Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)
• Bilirubin (total)

Note that AST, albumin and total protein are not included in the LFT profile and must be requested specifically.

Refer to the link below for each individual tests information and reference ranges.

Albumin

ALP

ALT

Amylase

AST

Bilirubin

GGT

LDH

Total Protein

4.5 mL Adult PST Blood (Preferred)

0.5 mL Paediatric Micro-PST Blood (Preferred)

5 mL Adult Heparin Blood

4 mL Adult Plain Blood

3.5 mL Adult SST Blood

0.5 mL Paediatric Microsample Blood

0.5 mL Paediatric Micro-heparin Blood

0.5 mL Paediatric Micro-SST Blood
Turnaround Time: Within 3 hours
Diagnostic Use and Interpretation

In parenchymal liver diseases, the magnitude of AST rise in general is less than or at most equal to that of ALT (alanine transaminase) rise. Exceptions to this include hypoxic hepatopathy (or ischaemic hepatitis), alcoholic hepatitis and chronic hepatitis/cirrhosis where the AST / ALT ratio can be more than one.

AST is less specific than ALT for parenchymal liver conditions. Although AST can be raised in conditions like skeletal myopathies, myocardial cell injury or intravascular haemolysis, it is not specific enough for use in their diagnosis or monitoring. Other much better biomarkers like creatine kinase, high sensitive troponin T and haptoglobin/plasma Hb are easily available and should be used instead.

For the above reasons, AST test has been removed from routine "Liver function profile". However, AST test is still be available 24 hourly on specific, hand written requests.

Reference:

Xu Q et al. Limiting the testing of AST - a diagnostically nonspecific enzyme. Am J Clin Pathol 2015; 144:423-426

Contact Information

The chemical pathology team can be reached via email: chemicalpathologist@adhb.govt.nz or via Lablink (09) 307 4949 ext 22000 or 09-3078995

Emails will receive priority attention from the on-call chemical pathologist. Include the patients NHI.

After-hours: contact Lablink (Auckland City Hospital ext. 22000 or 09-3078995) or hospital operator for on duty staff after hours .

• Dr Samarina Musaad (Clinical Lead) : SamarinaM@adhb.govt.nz ext. 22402
• Dr Cam Kyle : CampbellK@adhb.govt.nz ext 22052
• Dr Weldon Chiu : WeldonC@adhb.govt.nz ext. 23427
• Dr Campbell Heron : CHeron@adhb.govt.nz ext. 23427
• Dr Sakunthala Jayasinghe Saku.Jayasinghe@adhb.govt.nz
• Dr Owen Yi WenyiYi@adhb.govt.nz

Last updated at 11:42:03 16/01/2026