Liver lab test results - Liver & Pancreas Disorders Message Board

Bncinlove · 10-12-2006, 01:39 PM

I have just had some liver test ran and here are the results. I don't know if anyone can tell me what they mean or not. Obviously there is some damage, but don't know what is causing it.
test normal values my values
>AST 5-43 63(high)
>ALT 10-58 74(high)
>ANA Screen negative Positive(abnormal)
>ANA Pattern Speckled(abnormal)
>Smooth Muscle ab negative Positive(abnormal)
>Anti-SMA ab titer 1:20(abnormal)

Any suggestions???

danielm · 10-12-2006, 04:27 PM

Elevated levels don't necessarily mean permanent damage and there are many different reasons why you may have raised levels in your system at the moment.

The levels alone don't tell the whole story - especially on the 'why' your levels are raised.

As such, it's difficult to assume what you can do in order to fix the problem. Has your doctor come to any conclusion on why your levels are raised? Apart from the bloodwork, are they noticing anything abnormal physically? Do you have liver inflamation? Is there any fatty infiltration showing on an ultrasound or CT? Are their any lesions?

Your levels can be raised for any number of reasons, from drugs in your system, to high iron levels in the liver, fat infiltration or other diseases. It's difficult to offer a suggestion on anything until an underlying reason can be pinpointed.

I assume your doctor has recommended further testing? Usually when bloodwork reveals elevated levels, the next course of action is to take a look at what's going on in there through either an ultrasound/sonogram or a CT/MRI. They can also look at more bloodwork to rule out other common reasons for liver function abnormality, like hepatitus.

The best thing you can do at the moment is not fret too much and be open to further testing with your doctor. Be sure to tell him if you've got any symptoms out of the ordinary and let them run further tests to get to the bottom of the problem. Often these sorts of issues can be tied directly to something fairly mundane and because it's your liver in question, you stand a good chance of getting better once the underlying cause is treated.

But as with all things, it's always best to seek professional medical advice and stick with it. I'm only relaying my opinion based on personal experience and I'm in no way a professional medical practitioner. I'm happy to give you a little more background on the possibilities (I know doctors can be less than forthcoming about those kinds of things and putting our fears to rest), but the doc will be able to give you a difinitive diagnosis and a plan of action more educated than what I can give.

Just stay positive and be sure to do what the doctor tells you. Best wishes!

mfife31 · 10-12-2006, 09:51 PM

Have the doctors suggested a liver biopsy? My son (10yrs old) has a positive ANA ,smooth muscle and did have elevated alt and ast.He was diagosed with autoimmune hepatitis.I just woder since they have done the autoimune panels if it or something else may have been mentioned. Alot of things can raise alt and ast but I dont believe the ana and smooth muscle. My advice is to see what direction the doctors are thinking and really begin to look things up as you go.I knwo with me its all I do.You are your own best advocate and its always good to know as much as you can about whats going on.Best of luck!!!!!! Mfife31

jodianne · 10-13-2006, 08:53 AM

Are you on anything for high cholesterol, any of the Statins like Lipitor,
Zocor etc? These are known to elevate liver function tests and eventually
damage the liver in some people. Once the drug is stopped the levels go
down and the liver damage heals. My brother had this problem.
Jodianne

Bncinlove · 10-16-2006, 03:07 AM

I just received paperwork in the mail with my lab results that the doctor thinks I may have received a false-positive for the ANA and for the smooth muscle. I don't know what that means. I do have an ultrasound on friday to look at my liver. I don't take any medications for cholesterol. Thank you for your replies.