Turnaround times
The quoted turnaround time is from sample receipt in the laboratory, to results authorisation in the Laboratory Information Management system. The times do not include transport of specimen to the laboratory or the administrative process to print and post/email reports. Service users must allow for transport and reporting time when ordering tests.
Clinical background:
AST is an intracellular enzyme present in both cytoplasm and mitochondria. It is widely distributed throughout the body’s tissues, with the greatest amounts in cardiac muscle, liver, skeletal muscle and the kidneys. It is a key enzyme in gluconeogenesis. AST is used to identify tissue damage e.g. arising from damage to cardiac muscle (typically ischaemic in origin), damage to skeletal muscle (e.g. rhabdomyolysis) and liver cell inflammation or necrosis. The major disadvantage of AST as an indicator of tissue damage is its lack of specificity to any one tissue. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is to be preferred as an indicator of liver cell damage. AST present in the plasma is presumed to be derived from the normal turnover of tissue cells; increased quantities are found in tissue damage (particularly hepatic and cardiac and skeletal muscle damage)
Specimen container paediatric:
Serum (SST or plain tube)
Specimen container adult:
Serum (SST or plain tube)
Minimum volume paediatric:
0.5 mL blood
Minimum volume adult:
1 mL blood
Sample stability:
Unseparated sample: 3 days
Separated sample:– 4 days at 15-25C
– 7 days at 4ºC
– 3 months at -20C
Availability:
24/7, analysed at RVI and Freeman
Reference ranges:
0 – 40 U/L
Other info:
lithium heparin plasma sample also acceptable