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What Does My Blood Test Report Indicate?

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Posted on Tue, 24 Mar 2015
Question: I had blood work done for anxiety and my ALT came back as high at 38 U/L. Is this something I need to see a Dr about? I got the blood work order through an urgent care/walk in facility. I am female and 37 years old.
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Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (35 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
High ALT needs investigation

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

although your ALT result is not very high (more than three times the normal value would be considered significantly high) it may indicate liver problems like the fatty liver, autoimmune hepatitis, hepatitis C etc
It could also be the result of recent drug treatment or a viral illness that has resolved without significant symptoms.

To clarify the cause some basic tests for the liver are required. I'll make a list for you:
- antinuclear antibodies (ANA) to check for autoimmune hepatitis
- Anti-smooth muscle antibodies (SMA) for the same reason
- Anti-liver-kidney antibodies (anti-LKM1) for the same reason
- repeat measurement of AST, ALT, ALP, gGT to check the progress (if any)
- ultrasound scan of the liver to check for lesions or fatty liver.
- HCV antibodies for hepatitis C

Hepatitis C and autoimmune hepatitis may cause fluctuating low values of the transaminases (ALT, AST).
Fatty liver will commonly cause relatively stable abnormal values but not very high ones.

I hope I've helped!
Contact me again using your follow-up questions, if you'd like to ask for more details and I'll be glad to answer.

Kind Regards!
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1999

Answered : 3810 Questions

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What Does My Blood Test Report Indicate?

Brief Answer: High ALT needs investigation Detailed Answer: Hello, although your ALT result is not very high (more than three times the normal value would be considered significantly high) it may indicate liver problems like the fatty liver, autoimmune hepatitis, hepatitis C etc It could also be the result of recent drug treatment or a viral illness that has resolved without significant symptoms. To clarify the cause some basic tests for the liver are required. I'll make a list for you: - antinuclear antibodies (ANA) to check for autoimmune hepatitis - Anti-smooth muscle antibodies (SMA) for the same reason - Anti-liver-kidney antibodies (anti-LKM1) for the same reason - repeat measurement of AST, ALT, ALP, gGT to check the progress (if any) - ultrasound scan of the liver to check for lesions or fatty liver. - HCV antibodies for hepatitis C Hepatitis C and autoimmune hepatitis may cause fluctuating low values of the transaminases (ALT, AST). Fatty liver will commonly cause relatively stable abnormal values but not very high ones. I hope I've helped! Contact me again using your follow-up questions, if you'd like to ask for more details and I'll be glad to answer. Kind Regards!