Tutorial presented by Dr Dai Samuel, Consultant Hepatologist, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board

Abnormalities of liver blood tests can be categorised into acute abnormalities and chronic abnormalities.

Acute liver injuries

These abnormalities generally occur from a normal baseline, to a significantly abnormal liver blood test result over a very short period of time, and they return to normal relatively rapidly. The causes of acute abnormalities include any new medication, acute viral hepatitis (a and e), ischaemic heart disease or heart failure, or infection.

Chronic liver injuries

These abnormalities generally have much less severe abnormalities on the blood test results, but the abnormality shows a steady state of undulations in blood test results. The causes of chronic abnormalities include:

• Fatty liver disease
• Alcoholic liver disease
• Blood borne viruses (hepatitis b and c)
• Autoimmune liver disease
• Haemochromatosis
• Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
• Wilson disease