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

Emails to chemicalpathologist@adhb.govt.nz will receive priority attention from the on-call chemical pathologist.

If the query concerns a specific patient please include the NHI number in your email.

If email is not a suitable option, please contact the on-call chemical pathologist via Lablink (Auckland City Hospital ext. 22000 or 09-3078995).

Individual chemical pathologists may be contacted but will not be available at all times.

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: Sakunthala@adhb.govt.nz ext. 23427

Last updated at 15:26:00 06/01/2025