Veterinary Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnosis-II

LIVER FUNCTION TESTS - II

Test based on protein metabolism

• Total Proteins Albumin and Globulins
  • The levels of plasma total proteins may be expressed as g/dL 
  • Measurement of total protein concentration is of limited clinical value.
• Prothrombin time
  • Prothrombin is increased in liver disease. .
• Turbidity/Flocculation tests
  • Thymol turbidity test: The degree of durbidity produced when serum is mixed with a buffered solution of thymol. Sera from patients with liver disease tend to produce more turbidity.
  • Zinc Sulphate turbidity test: Addition of normal serum to a solution of  znic Sulphate produces turbidity. Sera with higher concentration of gamma globulin produce more turbidity. 

Excretory functions Tests

• The Bromsulphthalein (BSP)test
  • The ability of the liver to remove a dye form the blood is determined. It is an indication of the efficiency of the liver to remove other substances from the blood, which are excreted in the bile. Bromsulphthalein and indocyanin green are the most frequently used dyes to assess the liver function. The test is carried out by the intravenous injection of these dyes and drawal of blood samples and estimation of the concentration of the dye in the plasma. Delayed clearance indicates the abnormal function of liver.
• Hippuric acid synthesis test
  • This test is based on the ability of the liver to conjugate benzoic acid  with glycine to form hippuric acid, which is excreted in urine.