Are there specific liver function tests recommended with tigecycline?

Tigecycline isn’t usually associated with a requirement for a special set of liver tests beyond routine monitoring, but because it can cause hepatobiliary side effects (including elevations in liver enzymes and rare cases of cholestasis), clinicians typically monitor liver function tests (LFTs) during therapy.

Commonly monitored LFTs

• AST (aspartate aminotransferase)
• ALT (alanine aminotransferase)
• Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
• Total bilirubin (often the key one for severity)
• Sometimes albumin (more reflective of longer-term liver function) and INR if there are concerns about significant hepatic impairment

Typical practice

• Check baseline LFTs before starting tigecycline (especially in patients with pre-existing liver disease or abnormal labs).
• Repeat periodically during treatment (frequency varies by patient risk and duration—e.g., at least every few days in hospitalized patients, or more often if values rise).

When to be more cautious / evaluate promptly

• Rising bilirubin, ALP, or rapidly increasing AST/ALT
• Signs/symptoms of liver injury (jaundice, dark urine, marked fatigue, right upper quadrant pain)
• Worsening hepatic status in someone with underlying liver disease

If you tell me the context (patient age, baseline liver tests, dose/duration, and whether there are symptoms or abnormal labs), I can suggest a more tailored monitoring approach consistent with common clinical practice.