24 Jul LFT Test: Liver Function Test For Detecting Liver Issues

Ferritin

Ferritin regulates the movement of iron. Blood ferritin readings indicate the amount of iron that is stored in the body. Ferritin is a crucial indicator of iron accumulation and liver pathology.

How Ferritin is Related to Liver Health

Major Storage Site

The primary storage site for ferritin is the liver. Elevated levels of ferritin in the bloodstream may indicate liver illness, as the liver tends to release more ferritin when it is wounded or inflamed.

Iron Overload Disorders

Hemochromatosis: Elevated ferritin levels are a consequence of increased absorption and storage of iron due to this genetic disorder. Over a period of time, the excessive amount of iron builds up in the liver and other organs, resulting in damage.

Secondary Iron Overload: Elevated ferritin levels suggest the presence of secondary iron overload, which can be caused by conditions such as chronic liver disease, frequent blood transfusions, or certain types of anemia.

Inflammation and Damage

Hepatitis: High ferritin levels can happen in both acute and chronic hepatitis because liver cells die and ferritin is released into the bloodstream.

Alcoholic Liver Disease: Hepatotoxicity and liver inflammation can happen after drinking alcohol for a long time, which can lead to higher ferritin levels.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): This condition, which is linked to obesity and metabolic syndrome, can make liver inflammation worse and fat build up, which raises ferritin levels.

Interpreting Ferritin Levels

Ferritin levels change based on age, gender, and testing standards, among other things. The normal range for women is 13–150 ng/mL, while the normal range for men is 30–400 ng/mL. If your ferritin levels go up, it could mean you have a disease like hemochromatosis, liver disease, or inflammation. If your ferritin levels go down, it usually means you don’t have enough iron, which can lead to anemia.

Transferrin

Transferrin is a glycoprotein that is mostly made in the liver. It is an important part of iron metabolism because it helps iron bind to cells and move around the body. Iron movement is important for getting iron into cells, where it is needed for many biological processes, such as making hemoglobin in red blood cells.

How Transferrin is Related to Liver Health

Liver Production

The liver makes transferrin, and the amount of transferrin is directly related to how well the liver works. A drop in the production of transferrin could mean that the liver is damaged or not working properly.

Liver Diseases

Transferrin levels can be influenced by many liver diseases, such as:

Chronic Liver Disease: Diseases such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, and liver cancer can lead to decreased levels of transferrin due to the liver’s impaired ability to produce this protein.²

Acute Liver Damage: Furthermore, the production of transferrin can be abruptly decreased by medications, infections, or toxic liver injury.

Malnutrition: Poor dietary circumstances, as seen in chronic liver diseases, might further decrease transferrin levels.

Interpreting Transferrin Levels

Transferrin levels typically range from 204 to 360 mg/dL, though this can vary between laboratories. Elevated transferrin levels may occur in iron deficiency anemia as the body increases transferrin production to enhance iron transport. Low transferrin levels may indicate chronic liver disease, acute liver damage, malnutrition, or inflammatory conditions.

Iron

Iron is an important part of hemoglobin, which is found in red blood cells and carries oxygen from the lungs to the body’s organs. As a cofactor in several enzymes that take part in biological processes, iron is needed because it helps cells make energy. Iron is important for the defense system to work well.

How Iron is Related to Liver Health

Iron Storage

The liver serves as the main reservoir for iron in the body.³ The body stores excess iron in the form of ferritin and hemosiderin, and releases it as necessary.

Iron Metabolism Disorders

Hemochromatosis: This genetic disorder makes it easier for the body to absorb iron from food, which causes too much iron to build up in the body. Too much iron builds up in many organs, especially the liver, which hurts them and could lead to conditions like cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure.

Secondary Iron Overload: Chronic liver disease, getting a lot of blood donations, and some types of anemia can all lead to secondary iron buildup, which can damage the liver.

Liver Damage: Hepatic diseases can make it harder for the liver to store and handle iron, which can cause the blood to have too much iron.

Normal Iron Levels

The normal range for serum iron levels in individuals normally falls between 60 to 170 µg/dL; however, this range may differ depending on the specific laboratory.

C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

When there is inflammation, the liver makes C-reactive Protein (CRP). The amount of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood rises during both short-term and long-term inflammation, making it a useful marker for finding inflammatory processes inside the body.

How CRP is Related to Liver Health

The liver makes CRP in response to things that cause inflammation. CRP values can show how active the liver is in terms of inflammation.

Liver Diseases and Inflammation

Hepatitis: Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) can be observed in cases of both acute and chronic hepatitis, regardless of whether it is caused by a viral, alcoholic, or autoimmune condition. This is attributed to the inflammation of the liver.

Cirrhosis: Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) can be caused by chronic liver inflammation that progresses to fibrosis and cirrhosis.

Liver Cancer: Liver tumors or metastases can induce inflammation, leading to an elevation in CRP levels.⁴

Interpreting CRP Levels

The normal range for CRP levels can be different from one test to the next, but it is usually found between 0.3 and 1.0 mg/dL. Levels of CRP between 10 and 40 mg/L may mean that there is a modest amount of inflammation or infection. When CRP levels are between 40 and 100 mg/L, it means there is more inflammation, which is common in more dangerous infections or inflammatory diseases. When CRP values are over 100 mg/L, it usually means that there is a lot of inflammation or infection, like from a bacterial infection, serious injuries, or an autoimmune disease.

Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)

Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), also known as Sed Rate, is a biological test that finds out how fast red blood cells (erythrocytes) settle to the bottom of a test tube over a set amount of time, usually an hour. The rate at which red blood cells settle down is a rough way to guess how inflamed the body is.

How ESR is Related to Liver Health

Because of the constant inflammation, ESR values can be high in people with long-term liver diseases like hepatitis and cirrhosis. High ESR levels can be caused by liver inflammation in both acute and chronic hepatitis. High ESR levels can also be caused by chronic inflammation and scarring in cirrhosis. Also, ESR levels may go up because of inflammation brought on by liver tumors or metastases from liver cancer.

Interpreting ESR Levels

The accepted range for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) changes for men and women of different ages. But for most people, it’s between 0 and 22 millimeters per hour (mm/hr) for men and between 0 and 27 mm/hr for women.⁵ If your ESR is between 20 and 40 mm/hr, it could mean that you have a modest amount of inflammation or infection. A modest level of inflammation is shown by an ESR level between 40 and 70 mm/hr. This level may be present in chronic infections, autoimmune diseases, and inflammatory conditions. ESR levels above 70 mm/hr usually mean there is a lot of inflammation, which can be caused by serious infections, inflammatory diseases, or cancer.

Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)

Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) is a ubiquitous enzyme found in several body tissues, such as the liver, heart, muscles, kidneys, lungs, and blood cells. Converting lactate to pyruvate is a crucial process in cellular energy production. LDH is present in several organs throughout the body, hence its concentration in the blood might increase due to injury or illness affecting different organs.

How LDH is Related to Liver Health

Liver cell damage: LDH is present in hepatocytes, which are the cells of the liver. When hepatocytes are damaged or killed due to liver disease or injury, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is released into the bloodstream, resulting in elevated levels.

Liver Diseases: Both acute and chronic hepatitis can cause elevated LDH levels due to inflammation and death of liver cells. Elevated levels of LDH can be a consequence of chronic liver disease, which leads to fibrosis and loss of liver cells. Hepatocellular carcinoma and metastatic liver tumors can lead to significant damage to liver cells, leading to increased levels of LDH.

Normal LDH Levels

The LDH levels typically fall within the range of 140 to 280 units per liter (U/L), however this range may vary depending on the specific laboratory.

Arsenic

Arsenic, a toxic metalloid, may inflict significant damage on the liver, as well as other organs.⁶ Arsenic may exist in both organic and inorganic forms, although the inorganic form is more dangerous. Arsenic exposure may occur in occupational settings, as well as from consumption of contaminated food, water, or air. Extended exposure to arsenic can lead to severe health complications, such as liver impairment.

How Arsenic Affects Liver Health

Liver Damage

Prolonged exposure to arsenic can lead to various liver complications, such as:

Hepatotoxicity: Refers to the direct toxicity to liver cells, causing their degeneration and eventual death.

Fatty Liver Disease: Accumulation of fat in hepatocytes might potentially result in more severe hepatic complications.

Liver Fibrosis: Refers to an excessive accumulation of fibrous connective tissue in the liver, which can lead to the development of cirrhosis.

Liver Cancer: Increased susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma, the primary form of liver cancer.

Normal Arsenic Levels

The average acceptable range for arsenic concentration in the bloodstream is commonly found to be within the range of 0.3-2 µg/L, whereas for creatinine concentration in urine, it normally falls between 5-50 µg/L.

Cadmium

Cadmium, an exceedingly toxic element, can cause harm to several organs, including the liver.⁷ Cadmium exposure can occur due to contaminated food, beverages, air, or occupational environments. Prolonged exposure to cadmium can result in severe hepatotoxicity and several other health complications.

Normal Cadmium Levels

The usual blood concentration of cadmium for non-smokers is around 0.4 micrograms per liter (µg/L), whereas the normal urine concentration is 0.08 µg/g creatinine.

Lead

Lead is a very toxic metal that may cause significant damage to the liver, as well as other organs.⁸ Lead exposure can occur in occupational settings as well as through contaminated air, water, soil, food, and consumer products. Extended exposure to lead can result in severe health complications, such as liver damage.

Normal Lead Levels

A blood concentration of less than 1 µg/dL is regarded within the normal range. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classify blood lead levels over 3.5 µg/dL as elevated, particularly in youngsters.

Mercury

Mercury, a toxic heavy metal, may cause severe harm to several organs, including the liver.⁹ Mercury exposure can occur in several settings such as the workplace, water sources, the air, dental amalgams, contaminated food (especially fish), and other environmental variables. Extended exposure to mercury can result in severe health complications, such as liver damage.

Normal Mercury Levels

Typically, the concentration of total mercury in the blood is below 10 ng/mL, and in the urine, it is below 20 µg/L.