LIVER FUNCTION TEST

Which task best correlates laboratory findings with clinical presentation in liver disorders?

• Memorize the names of all enzymes in LFT panels.

• Explain how elevated bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase suggest cholestasis in a jaundiced patient.

• List the steps for proper serum separation after venipuncture.

• Define the reference interval for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in healthy adults.

A patient has impaired synthesis of clotting factors. Which liver function is most directly compromised?

• Metabolic

• Synthetic

• Excretory

• Detoxification

• Storage

You are analyzing lab data showing bilirubin accumulation and reduced bile acids in the intestine. Which liver function explains the normal removal of these substances?

• Metabolic function

• Synthetic function

• Excretory function

• Detoxification function

A patient on a new medication presents for follow-up. Why should liver function tests be ordered?

• To confirm the drug dosage in the bloodstream

• To evaluate potential drug-induced liver damage

• To replace imaging for diagnosing gallstones

• To determine genetic risk for liver cancer

You are designing a monitoring plan for a patient with chronic hepatitis starting antiviral therapy. Which use of liver function tests aligns with their purposes?

• Screening for renal failure progression

• Monitoring treatment response or disease progression using liver enzymes and proteins

• Determining the patient's hydration status

• Measuring bone density changes caused by therapy

A patient’s serum shows a decrease in absorbance at 340 nm over 2 minutes when mixed with a reagent containing substrate and NADH in the presence of lactate dehydrogenase. Which enzyme’s activity is being quantified?

• Alkaline phosphatase

• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT/SGPT)

• Gamma-glutamyl transferase

• Aspartate aminotransferase (AST/SGOT)

A clinician compares transaminases in two patients. Patient A has an AST/ALT ratio < 1; Patient B has an AST/ALT ratio near 2. Which pairing of likely conditions is most justified?

• A: alcoholic liver disease; B: acute viral hepatitis

• A: acute viral hepatitis; B: alcoholic liver disease

• A: myocardial infarction; B: muscle damage

• A: fatty liver; B: drug-induced injury

A patient has elevated ALP and normal GGT. What condition is most likely?

• Hepatobiliary disease

• Alcoholic liver disease

• Bone disease

• Bile duct obstruction

You are validating an ALP assay. Which observation indicates correct execution of the assay’s principle?

• Increase in absorbance at 405 nm due to formation of p-nitrophenol in alkaline medium

• Increase in absorbance at 340 nm due to NADH production in neutral medium

• Decrease in absorbance at 405 nm as PNPP is consumed in acidic medium

• Colorless endpoint at 600 nm indicating complete hydrolysis

A lab receives serum from a patient with suspected cholestasis. To differentiate the source of an ALP rise, which additional test is most appropriate?

• Order AST; if normal, source is bone

• Order ALT; if high, source is bone

• Order GGT; if elevated alongside ALP, supports hepatobiliary disease

• Order total bilirubin; if low, confirms bone disease