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An Approach to Abnormal LFTs Robert C. Lowe, M.D. Boston Medical Center July 17, 2013
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AST ALT ALP T. BIL ALB INR GGT
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Chessboard
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ALTAST T. BIL ALPALB GGT
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Case 1 30 year old woman 4 days of malaise, fevers to 101, nausea 1 day of RUQ pain and jaundice Exam - T 100.5 Icteric sclerae and jaundice Tender hepatomegaly, no spleen tip
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Case 1 AST 1535WBC 8.1 ALT 1602HCT 41 ALP 128PLT 353 T. Bil 7.3 Albumin 3.9
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Transaminases AST - aspartate aminotransferase ALT - alanine aminotransferase Released when hepatocytes are injured - a sign of necrosis.
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AST - less specific for liver disease Muscle (skeletal and cardiac) Kidney Erythrocytes ALT - very little outside of liver. A better marker of liver disease.
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Differential Diagnosis Sky high transaminases > 15x normal
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Differential Diagnosis Sky high transaminases > 15x normal Virus Drug Ischemia } >80% of cases
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AST/ALT>1000 Virus Toxin Ischemia History and Exam Points
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AST/ALT>1000 Virus Toxin Ischemia History and Exam Points IVDUArthralgias Sexual partnersUrticaria TravelHerpetic lesions Food exposuresStigmata of liver dz
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AST/ALT>1000 Virus Toxin Ischemia History and Exam Points IVDUArthralgias Sexual partnersUrticaria TravelHerpetic lesions Food exposuresStigmata of liver dz
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AST/ALT>1000 Virus Toxin Ischemia History and Exam Points IVDUArthralgias Sexual partnersUrticaria TravelHerpetic lesions Food exposuresStigmata of liver dz Meds OTC meds Herbs and supplements
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AST/ALT>1000 Virus Toxin Ischemia History and Exam Points IVDUArthralgias Sexual partnersUrticaria TravelHerpetic lesions Food exposuresStigmata of liver dz Meds OTC meds Herbs and supplements Recent surgery Hypotension Cardiac arrest CMP
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AST/ALT>1000
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Autoimmune Wilson Disease Bile Duct Obstruction Budd-Chiari
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AST/ALT>1000 Autoimmune Wilson Disease Bile Duct Obstruction Budd-Chiari Clinical Clues Female gender Personal or Family Hx of autoimmune dz
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AST/ALT>1000 Autoimmune Wilson’s Disease Bile Duct Obstruction Budd-Chiari Clinical Clues Female gender Personal or Family Hx of autoimmune dz ANA ASMA Ig levels
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AST/ALT>1000 Autoimmune Wilson’s Disease Bile Duct Obstruction Budd-Chiari
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AST/ALT>1000 Autoimmune Wilson’s Disease Bile Duct Obstruction Budd-Chiari Clinical Clues Male gender < age 40 Neuropsychiatric syndrome Psychosis Movement disorder
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AST/ALT>1000 Autoimmune Wilson’s Disease Bile Duct Obstruction Budd-Chiari Clinical Clues Male gender < age 40 Neuropsychiatric syndrome Psychosis Movement disorder Low ALP Hemolysis Ceruloplasmin less useful in acute disease
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KF Rings
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Head CT
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AST/ALT>1000 Autoimmune Wilson Disease Bile Duct Obstruction Budd-Chiari
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AST/ALT>1000 Autoimmune Wilson Disease Bile Duct Obstruction Budd-Chiari Clinical Clues H/O biliary colic or GS disease FH of gallstones RUQ pain N/V Transaminases fall rapidly - over 1-3 days U/S often diagnostic, but may need further imaging with MRCP/ERCP
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AST/ALT>1000 Autoimmune Wilson Disease Bile Duct Obstruction Budd-Chiari
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AST/ALT>1000 Autoimmune Wilson Disease Bile Duct Obstruction Budd-Chiari Clinical Clues OCP use Prior venous thrombosis Myeloproliferative disorder Malignancy Abdominal Pain Ascites
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Laboratory Testing Hepatitis A - IgM and IgG Hepatitis B - sAg, cAb, eAg, HBV DNA Hepatitis C - RNA level ANA, ASMA, Ig levels RUQ U/S with Doppler Study Consider other viral serologies, ceruloplasmin, MRCP
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Prognostic Features
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Coagulopathy –INR elevation Encephalopathy –Mental Status –Asterixis –Apraxia
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Case 2 Asymptomatic 45 year-old woman Cholesterol 245, Trig 266 No significant FH No meds Works as an accountant
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Case 2 AST 84WBC 6.6 ALT 46HCT 37 ALP 121PLT 165 T. Bil 0.8 ALB 3.7
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Alcoholic LFT Pattern AST/ALT > 2:1 Absolute AST and ALT < 300 GGT elevation is helpful, but nonspecific.
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Alcoholic LFT Pattern WHY? ALT synthesis is decreased in EtOH hepatitis. Partially due to pyridoxine deficiency - may correct with B6 therapy.
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Case 2 AST 84WBC 6.6 ALT 46HCT 37 ALP 121PLT 165 T. Bil 0.8 ALB 3.7
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Case 2 AST 84WBC 6.6 ALT 89HCT 37 ALP 121PLT 165 T. Bil 0.8 ALB 3.7
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Mildly Elevated Transaminases ABCDEFGHABCDEFGH
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Alcohol / Autoimmune B Hepatitis C Hepatitis Drug Exotic Wilson Disease Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency Fatty liver Gluten sensitive enteropathy Hemochromatosis
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Mildly Elevated Transaminases Alcohol / Autoimmune B Hepatitis C Hepatitis Drug Exotic Wilson Disease Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency Fatty liver Gluten sensitive enteropathy Hemochromatosis Thyroid disease, myopathies
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Mildly Elevated Transaminases Alcohol / AutoimmuneAlcohol Hx B Hepatitis HBsAg, HBcAb, HBsAb C Hepatitis HCV Ab DrugDrug Hx Exotic Wilson Disease Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency Fatty liverRUQ U/S, TG Gluten sensitive enteropathy Hemochromatosis Thyroid disease, myopathies
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Mildly Elevated Transaminases Alcohol / AutoimmuneANA, ASMA, Ig levels B Hepatitis HBsAg, HBcAb, HBsAb C Hepatitis HCV Ab DrugDrug Hx Exotic Wilson Disease Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency Fatty liverRUQ U/S, TG Gluten sensitive enteropathy HemochromatosisFe, TIBC, Ferritin Thyroid disease, myopathies
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Mildly Elevated Transaminases Alcohol / AutoimmuneANA, ASMA, Ig levels B Hepatitis HBsAg, HBcAb, HBsAb C Hepatitis HCV Ab DrugDrug Hx Exotic Wilson DiseaseCeruloplasmin Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiencyA-1-AT level Fatty liverRUQ U/S, TG Gluten sensitive enteropathy HemochromatosisFe, TIBC, Ferritin Thyroid disease, myopathies
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Mildly Elevated Transaminases Alcohol / AutoimmuneANA, ASMA, Ig levels B Hepatitis HBsAg, HBcAb, HBsAb C Hepatitis HCV Ab DrugDrug Hx Exotic Wilson DiseaseCeruloplasmin Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiencyA-1-AT level Fatty liverRUQ U/S, TG Gluten sensitive enteropathyAnti-TTG HemochromatosisFe, TIBC, Ferritin Thyroid disease, myopathiesTSH, CK, Aldolase
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Liver Biopsy 1124 pts referred for elevated ALT --- 81 cases with negative serologic workup
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Liver Biopsy 1124 pts referred for elevated ALT --- 81 cases with negative serologic workup Biopsies -- 41 pts with steatosis 26 pts with NASH 8% normal biopsies Daniel, et al. Am J Gastro, 1999
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Liver Biopsy 354 patients with elevated ALT and negative workup Biopsies -- 32% with steatosis 34% with NASH 9% cryptogenic 7.6% Drug-induced 5.9% normal histology 2.8% ETOH Granulomatous dz, PBC, PSC, hemochromatosis, amyloidosis, glycogen storage disease = 6.3% In 18%, management was changed based on the pathology. Skelly, et al. J Hepatol, 2001 66% with NAFLD
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PAS with Diastase digestion
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An Approach to Abnormal LFTs Robert C. Lowe, M.D. Boston Medical Center July 17, 2013
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An Approach to Abnormal LFTs Part 2 Robert C. Lowe, M.D. Boston Medical Center July 25, 2013
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AST/ALT>1000 Virus Toxin Ischemia
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AST/ALT>1000 Virus Toxin Ischemia Autoimmune Wilson’s Disease Bile Duct Obstruction Budd-Chiari
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Alcohol / Autoimmune B Hepatitis C Hepatitis Drug Exotic Wilson’s Disease Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency Fatty liver Gluten sensitive enteropathy Hemochromatosis Thyroid disease, myopathies
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Case 3 35 year old woman Mild fatigue No significant PMH No meds Exam - cervical LAN 0.5 cm, nontender Liver 3 cm below RCM
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Case 3 AST 42 ALT 34 ALP 442 T. BIL 0.7 Albumin 3.9 INR 1.0
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Case 3 AST 42 ALT 34 ALP 442 T. BIL 0.7 Albumin 3.9 INR 1.0 GGT = 650
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Alkaline Phosphatase Produced in liver, bone, placenta, intestine. Blood group O and B may release intestinal ALP after a fatty meal. Elevations up to 2x normal are very nonspecific. Up to 1/3 have no disease.
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Elevated ALP Bone disease -- Paget’s Metastases Myeloma Use GGT or 5’NT to distinguish bone from liver.
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GGT and 5’ NT GGT - not found in bone, present in biliary epithelium. Problems - induced by EtOH, anticonvulsants, warfarin, so specificity is a problem. GGT/ALP > 2.5 suggests EtOH, but only 33% sensitive!
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5’ Nucleotidase More specific than GGT Rises over several days after bile duct obstruction, slower than GGT.
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Elevated ALP
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Biliary obstruction Tumor masses - primary or metastatic Drug Effect
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Elevated ALP Special circumstances - Malignancy without liver involvement -- tumors produce Regan isoenzyme of ALP (gonadal and urologic) Hodgkin’s Disease and RCC - can cause nonspecific hepatitis with elevated ALP
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Workup of ALP Elevation 1) Confirm liver origin with 5’-NT or GGT
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Workup of ALP Elevation 1) Confirm liver origin with 5’-NT or GGT 2) U/S or CT to R/O mass and dilated ducts Mass -- biopsy Dilated ducts -- MRCP/ERCP
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AST 42 ALT 34 ALP 442 T. BIL 0.7 Albumin 3.9 INR 1.0
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AST 42 ALT 34 ALP 442 T. BIL 0.7 Albumin 3.9 INR 1.0 Pruritus for 4 months with no rash
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AST 42 ALT 34 ALP 442 T. BIL 0.7 Albumin 3.9 INR 1.0 Pruritus for 4 months with no rash AMA = 1:2500
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Primary Biliary Cirrhosis F:M = 8-9:1 Classic = fatigue, itching, elevated ALP Common = asyx elevated ALP NO jaundice until end-stage AMA is diagnostic (95% positive) Treat with ursodiol
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AST 42 ALT 34 ALP 442 T. BIL 0.7 Albumin 3.9 INR 1.0
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AST 42 ALT 34 ALP 442 T. BIL 0.7 Albumin 3.9 INR 1.0
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AST 42 ALT 34 ALP 442 T. BIL 0.7 Albumin 3.9 INR 1.0 Patient reveals a 12 year history of ulcerative colitis
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Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis IBD in > 70% (typically UC) MRCP makes diagnosis pANCA (+) in the majority Progression to cirrhosis – median survival 10-12 yrs after Dx Risk of cholangiocarcioma is 10-15%
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AST 42 ALT 34 ALP 442 T. BIL 0.7 Albumin 3.9 INR 1.0
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AST 42 ALT 34 ALP 442 T. BIL 0.7 Albumin 3.9 INR 1.0 Patient with Cr. 2.0 and significant proteinuria
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Liver biopsy
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AST 42 ALT 34 ALP 442 T. BIL 0.7 Albumin 3.9 INR 1.0
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AST 42 ALT 34 ALP 442 T. BIL 0.7 Albumin 3.9 INR 1.0 41 M with advanced HIV – CD4 27
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HIV Cholangiopathy Seen in advanced AIDS – CD4 <50 High ALP, mildly elevated bilirubin Significant RUQ pain Survival is 6-9 months – due to other infections, wasting…
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Case 3 35 year old woman Mild fatigue No significant PMH No meds Exam - cervical LAN 0.5 cm, nontender Liver 3 cm below RCM
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Elevated ALP Biliary obstruction Tumor masses - primary or metastatic Drug Effect
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Elevated ALP Biliary obstruction Tumor masses - primary or metastatic Drug Effect PBC, PSC Infiltrative disease - amyloid Granulomatous diseases – sarcoid, TB, fungi Autoimmune variants
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Workup of ALP Elevation 1)Confirm liver origin with 5’-NT or GGT 2) Take a thorough drug history 3) U/S or CT to R/O mass and dilated ducts Mass -- biopsy Dilated ducts -- MRCP/ERCP 4) Neither -- check AMA, then biopsy liver.
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Final Case AST 175 ALT 112 ALP 163 T. Bili 12.3 INR 1.9 ALB 3.0
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An Approach to Abnormal LFTs Part 2 Robert C. Lowe, M.D. Boston Medical Center July 25, 2013
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