The liver is the largest organ in the body with an equally large role to fill. It processes all the food and drugs we consume, cleans alcohol and toxins out of the blood, stores iron and glycogen, makes proteins and produces bile to assist digestion. Liver-specific enzymes remain in the liver, only moving into the blood stream when the liver is damaged. If they are elevated in the blood, it is a good indication of potential liver disease.
General Signs
According to Douglas LaBrecque, M.D., at the University of Iowa, up to 50 percent of people with liver disease will experience no symptoms. The most common signs resemble the early symptoms of many other illnesses: You may feel fatigued or nauseous and may not feel like eating. A fever or abdominal pain may also be present.
Early Signs
The first signs indicating the potential presence of elevated liver enzymes are itching and jaundice. If the liver is not removing all the toxic substances, they start to build up in the body and remain in the blood and skin, which causes itching. Jaundice is when the skin, whites of the eyes, and mucous membranes turn a yellowish color. If jaundice is present, then other signs include dark urine and light stools.
Intermediate Signs
If liver enzymes remain elevated, indicating untreated liver disease, signs may include accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity and low blood pressure. Your complexion may become red or you might see spider-like blood vessels on your face or chest.
Signs of Liver Failure
Signs of elevated enzymes related to liver failure are altered mood and behavior. Changes in personality and cognitive difficulties may appear. You may become delirious, confused and have a hard time with verbal expression. You might become restless and aggressive. Other physical symptoms such as a distended abdomen, pain and jaundice will become more pronounced. You may cough-up blood or experience bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract.
Disease Progression
In spite of the many potential causes and signs of elevated liver enzymes, according to the American Liver Foundation, liver disease progresses the same way. In the early stage of any liver disease, the liver becomes inflamed. Unlike signs of inflammation in other areas of the body, an inflamed liver may cause no discomfort. If it is not diagnosed and treated, the inflammation will cause scarring in the liver. As scar tissue grows, it replaces healthy tissue in a process called fibrosis. If fibrosis is diagnosed and treated, your liver can still heal; but if it continues, your liver becomes so scarred that the damage becomes permanent. This is called cirrhosis.
