The liver performs innumerable critical functions. A single biochemical test may not be able to correctly identify the type and severity of liver impairment or the functional hepatic reserve. Liver function (or biochemical) tests (LFT) not only indicate the severity of hepatocyte injury or impairment of bile flow but also its synthetic, metabolic, or excretory functions. The interpretation of laboratory tests in children lacks age and gender-specific reference intervals from healthy children and adolescents. LFTs are seldom diagnostic of a specific disease but only suggest a category or group of disorders, viz intra/extrahepatic cholestasis or viral/autoimmune/ischemic hepatitis. Nevertheless, the results of the biochemical tests must be interpreted in the context of the clinical setting.
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