What are the functions of the liver? What should I pay attention to before the inspection?

Liver function test is not unfamiliar to many people. Almost everyone has done this test. Liver function is mainly used to evaluate whether there is disease or damage to the liver.

Liver biochemical and functional tests can be divided into the following categories:

1. Detection of liver cell damage

Most of these tests measure the activity of circulating liver enzymes such as aminotransferases. These enzymes are normally located inside cells and are released when liver cells are damaged.

2. Test the liver’s ability to transport organic anions and metabolize drugs

These tests measure the ability of the liver to clear endogenous or exogenous substances from the circulation.

3. Detection of liver biosynthesis ability

The most common tests are serum albumin and prothrombin time (requires the presence of liver-produced clotting factors).

5. Detect chronic hepatitis, altered immune regulation, or viral hepatitis

These tests include immunoglobulins, hepatitis serology, and specific autoantibodies. Most of these substances are proteins synthesized by B lymphocytes rather than liver cells. However, some substances are extremely specific to certain liver diseases, such as anti-mitochondrial antibodies in primary biliary cholangitis.

Most substances in the human body are metabolized and synthesized in the liver, such as the synthesis of albumin, the synthesis of coagulation factors, and the synthesis of cholesterol. In addition, the liver also metabolizes and detoxifies bilirubin. function, immune function, hematopoietic function during fetal period, etc.

Many people need liver function tests.

So what are the precautions for liver function tests?

1,

Pre-exam dietary considerations.

Avoid alcohol, high-fat/high-protein foods, and foods rich in carotene/lutein the night before the liver function test.

Don’t eat after 9pm, and don’t eat breakfast or drink water that day. The liver function test should be blood drawn on an empty stomach, and the fasting time is generally 8 to 12 hours.

If possible, stop taking drugs that damage the liver before the test, such as anti-tuberculosis drugs, pigmented drugs, etc., so as to avoid drugs affecting liver function and drug pigments affecting test results.

2. Precautions for work and rest before examination:

1. Get enough rest.

Before the test, take enough time to rest and avoid strenuous exercise. Long-distance travel, staying up late, mental stress, high work pressure, anger, fighting, and frequent sexual intercourse, etc., will damage the body’s immune state, overburden the liver, and affect liver function.

2. Avoid staying up late

Staying up late will make the liver not get enough rest the night before, which will affect liver function, especially for people who usually have the habit of staying up late. Avoid staying up late.

3. Other precautions

The examination should be avoided during periods of poor physical condition such as cold period and fracture recovery period, so as to avoid abnormal results affecting the evaluation of liver function status.

2. Avoid hemolysis of the specimen. Hemolysis will affect the test results, which can lead to an increase in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and a decrease in total bilirubin.