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Test Code GPT Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT/GPT)

Specimen and Container/Tube

Specimen Type: Plasma

Preferred Specimen: Li-Heparin Mint Green Top

Other Acceptable specimens: Serum/Red Top, Serum/Gold Top

Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions

UCMC Onsite Instructions: 

Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately. 

 

UCMC Offsite and UC MedLab Outreach Instructions: 

  • Samples should be centrifuged within 2 hours of collection.
  • Centrifuge specimens at >2500 x g for 10 minutes at room temperature.
  • Aliquot sample into plastic transport tube containing a minimum of 0.2 mL of specimen.
  • Samples must be sent room temperature at 15-25oC.

Rejection Criteria

  • Common specimen rejected situations include: incorrect specimen type, insufficient volume, missing or incomplete specimen identifiers, incorrect specimen transport, or specimens outside stability limits. 
  • Specimens that are clotted or grossly hemolyzed.
  • Specimens that were transported unspun/whole blood and draw time is greater than 6 hours.

Reference Values

Test

Age

Sex

Reference Range

ALT (GPT)

All

All

    8-35 U/L

Note: Reference range based on in-house studies, recommendations from Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry, and Roche product literature.  

 

Critical Values

Analyte

Unit

Low

High

Age

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

CPT Codes/LOINC Code

CPT: 84460

LOINC:1743-4

Volume

Preferred Volume: 0.5 mL

Minimum Volume: 0.2 mL

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room temperature

3 days

Refrigerated

7 days

Frozen

7 days

Collection Instructions

Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures. 

Test Components

Alanine Aminotransferase

Clinical Indications

Diagnosis and monitoring of liver disease associated with hepatic necrosis

Methodology

Photometric Rate, L-Alanine with Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate

Additional Information

Results should always be assessed in conjunction with patient's medical history, clinical examination and other
findings.

  • Results should always be assessed in conjunction with patient's medical history, clinical examination and other findings.
  • When blood is drawn and permitted to clot and to stand uncentrifuged at room temperature, the average decrease in serum glucose is approximately 7% in one hour (0.28 to 0.56 mmol/L or 5 to 10 mg/dL). This decrease is the result of glycolysis. Glycolysis can be inhibited by collecting the specimen in fluoride tubes.
  • Patients can be fasting or non-fasting.
  • Also included in Hepatic Function Panel LFT, Pediatric Hepatic Function Panel PDLPNL, Comprehensive Metabolic Panel CMP, ER Panel II STLP, Pediatric ER Panel II PDSTLP,  CMP for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CPNL FOR CLL PATIENTS ONLY) SSTCP.

Turnaround Time

Turnaround times are relative to the time the specimen is received in the test laboratory. 

 

STAT Turnaround Time: 1 hour

Routine Turnaround Time: 4 hours

Testing Schedule: 24/7

Last Review Date

06/12/2024

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