ASPARTATE AMINOTRANSFERASE (AST) - plasma or serum

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Specimen: 5 mL blood in lithium heparin or plain tube.

Method: Spectrophotometry.

Reference Interval: <40 U/L.

Application: Detection and monitoring of liver cell damage.

Interpretation: Increased levels are found with hepatocellular disease. The AST/ALT ratio is typically >1 in alcoholic liver disease and <1 in non-alcoholic liver disease. Although AST levels are increased with cardiac and skeletal muscle disease, more specific tests are available in these situations. Haemolysis during collection or refrigeration of unseparated blood may cause an artefactual increase. See Table 1 .

Reference: Moss DW and Henderson AR. In: Burtis CA and Ashwood ER eds. Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry. 2nd ed. WB Saunders 1994.

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