Liver enzyme elevation

One of the important functions of the liver is to manufacture enzymes, which are proteins that help the body to carry out certain chemical reactions at a faster rate. Usually these enzymes reside in the liver but are also found in small amounts in the bloodstream. When the liver gets damaged, its ability to hold these liver enzymes reduces.

The hepatic function panel evaluates:

• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT). This enzyme, found in the liver, plays a role in metabolism, the process that converts food into energy. If the liver is injured, ALT is released into the bloodstream. Its levels are especially high with acute hepatitis.
• Alkaline phosphatase (ALP). This enzyme is found in the liver, bones, intestines, kidneys, and other organs. Kids and teens normally have higher levels of ALP than adults, even when they're healthy, due to bone growth. But ALP levels can also increase when kids have viral infections, liver diseases, or blocked bile ducts.
• Aspartate aminotransferase (AST). This enzyme, which plays a role in processing proteins, is found in the liver, heart, muscles, and kidneys. When the liver is injured or inflamed, levels of AST in the blood usually rise.
• Total bilirubin and direct bilirubin. Bilirubin is a byproduct of the normal breakdown of red blood cells. It usually passes through the liver and is excreted from the body. But if that doesn't happen due to a liver disease, bilirubin levels in the blood can rise and the skin can take on the yellow discoloration known as jaundice. Tests for bilirubin may be total (measuring the level of all of the bilirubin in the blood) or direct (measuring only bilirubin that has been processed by the liver and attached to other chemicals).
• Albumin and total protein. Protein is needed to build and maintain muscles, bones, blood, and organ tissue. Sometimes when there's a problem with the liver, it can't make proteins as well, so protein levels decrease. Liver function tests measure albumin specifically (the major blood protein produced by the liver), as well as the total amount of all proteins in the blood.

Following are the causes that can damage the liver, eventually causing abnormally high levels of liver enzymes to flow into the bloodstream:

Liver Infections
The hepatitis virus is the one that attacks the liver and causes abnormal buildup of enzymes in the blood. Having unhygienic food or water is the primary reason behind catching this viral infection.

Liver Diseases
Liver disorder and enlarged liver in children is yet another factor that causes liver enzymes to accumulate in the blood. Children suffering from diseases such as jaundice, liver cancer, or liver cirrhosis have been diagnosed with this condition.

Unhealthy Diet
An increasing number of children worldwide have developed a liking for fast foods like hamburgers, pizzas, and French fries. All these food items are loaded in unhealthy fats and so too much consumption cannot be tolerated by the liver. The liver has to work harder to promote digestion of these fatty foods. This workload can damage the liver, thus forcing it to expel enzymes in abnormally high amounts into the bloodstream.

Pain Relievers
Although painkillers help to alleviate the discomfort, they can become problematic if they are given in higher doses to children. Studies have proved that children taking high strength tablets of acetaminophen or ibuprofen show elevated liver enzymes.

Vitamins
An unhealthy diet can lead to vitamin deficiency in children. In such cases, to overcome this problem, doctor often prescribe multivitamin supplements for children. However, these supplements have to be given in the right dosage as instructed by the doctor. If this is not followed, it can affect the liver and eventually cause too much of enzymes to circulate in the blood.

Household Chemicals
Many of the household chemicals and products that we use to clean our home contain harmful ingredients. So, if children accidentally inhale or consume these ingredients, the liver may get damaged. In such cases, the damaged liver is likely to send more enzymes into the bloodstream.

If the enzymes are slightly higher than normal, symptoms are usually not observed in children. The liver function test that measures the amount of liver enzymes present in blood, is used to diagnose this condition. As per the test results and the underlying cause, the doctor will suggest a treatment approach to resolve the issue.