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Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)
MessagePerforming Lab: Central Lab, Hudson, Lakeview, Regions, Sartell, Westfields
Test Code
0128
Alias/See Also
Sunquest; AST; SGOT
CPT Codes
84450
Preferred Specimen
0.2 mL Lithium Heparin Plasma (light green-top) tube
Minimum Volume
0.1 mL
Other Acceptable Specimens
Serum (gold-top, red-top, red/gray-top), Lithium Heparin (light green-top) on ICE
Instructions
Processing:
Avoid agitation or mixing of plasma samples after centrifugation. Re-suspension of platelets into previously centrifuged samples may lead to artifically elevated AST results due to AST activity in platelets.
Avoid agitation or mixing of plasma samples after centrifugation. Re-suspension of platelets into previously centrifuged samples may lead to artifically elevated AST results due to AST activity in platelets.
Transport Temperature
Refrigerated
Specimen Stability
Room Temperature: 3 days
Refrigerated: 7 days
Frozen: 3 months
Refrigerated: 7 days
Frozen: 3 months
Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)
Hemolyzed samples
Methodology
Multi-Point Rate
Setup Schedule
Hospital: Daily
Clinics: Monday - Friday
Clinics: Monday - Friday
Report Available
Same day.
Reference Range
| Age | Reference Range | Critical Value | |
| All Ages | 10-40 U/L | >999 U/L | |
Clinical Significance
Aspartate aminotransferase is present in high activity in heart, skeletal muscle, and liver. Increased serum AST activity commonly follows myocardial infarction, pulmonary emboli, skeletal muscle trauma, alcoholic cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, and drug-induced hepatitis.
