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Test Code Billings Clinic: 4031 Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT/SGPT), Plasma or Serum

Important Note

Venipuncture should occur prior to Sulfasalazine administration due to the potential for falsely depressed results.

Performing Laboratory

Billings Clinic Laboratory: Chemistry

Useful For

  • Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) is an enzyme involved in amino acid metabolism.  It is found in many tissues, but the higest levels are found in liver and kidney tissues. Tissue destruction leads to the release of the intracellular enzyme into the circulating blood. 
  • Markedly elevated ALT levels may be found in a variety of diseases which involve the liver, such as hepatitis, mononucleosis and cirrhosis.

Methodology

NADH without P5P

Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Serum or plasma should be physically separated from cells as soon as possible with a maximum limit of two hours from the time of collection.

Plasma

  • Draw blood in a green-top (lithium heparin) tube(s).
  • Spin down and send 1 mL of heparinized plasma frozen.

Serum

  • Draw blood in a plain, red-top tube(s) or a serum gel tube(s).
  • Spin down and send 1 mL of serum frozen

Storage/Stability

Specimen Type Temperature Time
Plasma, Serum Refrigerated 7 days
  Frozen (preferred) 1 month

 

Reject Due To

  • Repeated freeze/thaw cycles
  • Extremely lipemic samples must be ultracentrifuged

Reference Values

Males:

0 - 4 days                     6 - 50 U/L

5 days - 1 year           13 - 45 U/L

2 - 3 years                    6 - 45 U/L

4 - 6 years                  10 - 25 U/L

7 - 11 years                10 - 35 U/L

12 - 13 years              10 - 55 U/L

14 - 15 years              10 - 45 U/L

> 15 years                    6 - 61 U/L

 

Females:

0 - 4 days                     6 - 50 U/L

5 days - 1 year           13 - 45 U/L

2 - 3 years                    6 - 45 U/L

4 - 6 years                  10 - 25 U/L

7 - 9 years                  10 - 35 U/L

10 - 13 years              10 - 30 U/L

14 - 15 years                6 - 30 U/L

> 15 years                    6 - 56 U/L

Day(s) Test Set Up

Daily

Test Classification and CPT Coding

84460 - alanine amino (ALT)(SGPT)

LOINC Code Information

Reporting Name LOINC Code
ALT 1744-2