Diagnostic Laboratory Section

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF AST

• AST level get elevated during hepatocyte damage (reversible or irreversible) which may occur in variety of insults (inflammation, hypoxia, toxicants, trauma,etc.)
• AST also may be released from hepatocytes during reparative stages of liver diseases.
• Muscle damage (reversible or irreversible) may be caused by a variety of insults.
• Hemolysis (in vitro) or delayed removal of serum from clot may cause mild to moderate increases.
• In horse elevated values in azoturia, hepatitis, septicemia and intestinal complications, halothane and chloroform anesthesia, and carbon tetra chloride poisoning.
• In sheep increased activity is seen in hepatic necrosis, liver fluke infestation
• In Bovine increased enzyme activity is observed in hepatic necrosis, white muscle disease, starvation, vitamin E deficiency and post parturition complication .