Clinical Biochemistry 2 Flashcards
What are the modern ways of diagnosing pancreatic injury?
PLI (cPLI and fPLI) = pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (related to pancreatic injury)
TLI = trypsinogen like immunoreactivity (related to pancreatic functional mass)
What is used as a measure of glomerular filtration rate?
Urea / creatinine / SDMA
Increased urea/creatinine = dehydration, renal disease, urinary obstruction/rupture, heart disease (medium/large breed dogs)
Decreased urea = liver failure
Decreased creatinine = muscle wastage (very small dogs/cats)
Define azotaemia.
Azotaemia = increased serum urea and/or creatinine concentration - can be pre-renal, renal or post-renal.
Define uraemia.
Uraemia = specific clinical syndrome (vomiting, anorexia, ulceration), develops when high levels of toxic substances are present in the blood - reduced renal excretion.
What does increased creatine kinase (CK) indicate?
Skeletal muscle injury, haemolysis.
What two ways are total proteins (albumin + globulins) measured?
Total solids by refractometry
Biochemistry analyser (measures albumin and total protein)
What causes an increase in total proteins?
Falsely with lipaemia (and severe haemolysis)
Dehydration, inflammation, neoplasia
What causes a decrease in total proteins?
Haemorrhage, GI disease, very young animals, renal/hepatic disease (has biggest impact on albumin)
What are the causes of high and low glucose levels?
High = stress, diabetes mellitus, steroid therapy
Low = wrong blood tube/time delay, insulinoma, insulin overdose, some tumours
Why is fructosamine used to diagnose/monitor diabetes mellitus?
Because it gives an idea of glucose levels over last 2-3 weeks.
What is the difference between defective and excessive haemostasis?
Defective = leading to haemorrhage, generally known as coagulopathies.
Excessive = leading to thrombotic events.
Describe primary, secondary and tertiary haemostasis.
Primary = associated with platelet numbers/function and vascular factors leading to formation of platelet plug.
Secondary = associated with formation of fibrin mesh, which stabilises the platelet plug.
Tertiary = associated with breaking down of clot and return of normal vascular flow.
What tests are carried out for assessment of haemostasis?
BMBT (Buccal Mucosa Bleeding Time)
Platelet numbers
Clotting times
Test for fibrinolysis
What is thrombocytopenia?
Low platelet numbers.
What are the causes of thrombocytopenia?
Decreased production, increased use, increased destruction, sequestration.
