How is liver function primarily assessed in acute pancreatitis?

The assessment of liver function in acute pancreatitis is primarily determined through the evaluation of liver enzyme levels, which include AST (aspartate aminotransferase) and LDH (lactate dehydrogenase). Elevated levels of AST can indicate liver damage or stress, which may occur in the context of acute pancreatitis due to the proximity of the pancreas to the liver and the potential for inflammatory processes to affect liver function. LDH is also relevant as it plays a role in cellular metabolism and can be elevated in various conditions, including liver damage and necrosis.

While other factors like alkaline phosphatase or bilirubin levels can be indicative of liver function and biliary obstruction, they are not the primary markers used for assessing liver impact in acute pancreatitis. Similarly, determining prothrombin time is more associated with assessing coagulation status rather than direct liver function itself. Therefore, the evaluation of AST and LDH levels is key in this clinical scenario as they give insight into liver function affected by the pathological processes of acute pancreatitis.