Clinical biochemistry (year 2) Flashcards
what is the role of diagnostic tests?
to conform/refute a clinical hypothesis so shouldn’t be carried out blind
what must be done before taking blood?
history
physical exam
identify clinical problems
differential diagnosis
what are the two types of tests?
screening
confirmation
what samples can be taken?
urine, blood, faeces, cavitary fluid, synovial fluid, CSF
define clinical biochemistry
analysis of samples of bodily fluid
what is plasma?
extracellular fluids plus additional proteins
what are the functions of plasma?
transport - nutrients, hormones, metabolites
clotting
osmolarity maintenance
oncotic pressure maintenance
what is the difference between whole blood and plasma?
plasma doesn’t have any cells
what is the main difference between the collection of plasma and serum?
serum is allowed to clot so doesn’t contain clotting factors
plasma still contains coagulation factors by using an anticoagulant
what is chemicals is blood placed in to prevent clotting to obtain plasma?
lithium heparin
sodium citrate
when measuring glucose in plasma/serum what tube is blood collected into?
NaFluoride/oxalate or NaFluoride/EDTA tube
what colour are NaFluoride/oxalate or NaFluoride/EDTA tubes?
grey top
what does fluoride inhibit?
glycolysis - so glucose isn’t used up and can be measured
why may a decrease in concentration of analytes in serum occur?
decreased input
increased output
why might input be decreased causing a decrease in concentration of serum analytes?
decrease synthesis, nutritional deficiency, poor absorption, lack of precursors
why might input be increased causing a decrease in concentration of serum analytes?
excessive demand, increased excretion, pathological loss
why may an increase in concentration of analytes in serum occur?
increased input
decreased output
some changes to plasma analytes can be relative, what does this mean?
changes caused by increased/decreased water - haemoconcentration
what is the reference interval?
range of values encompassing 95% of a tested population of apparently healthy animals
why is 95% used as a reference interval instead of 100%?
maximise detection of diseased animals
what is the term used for decreased albumin in serum?
hypoalbuminaemia
what are pre-analytical errors?
errors that happen before test is carried out
what are some common pre-analytical errors?
labelling, anticoagulation, contamination, improper handling, inappropriate storage
what may an abnormal increase in potassium during blood sampling be due to?
EDTA contamination
what is accuracy?
how close the result is to the true value
what is precision?
reproducibility of the laboratory methods
what is sensitivity?
likelihood of a positive result when disease is present
what is specificity?
likelihood of a negative result when disease is absent
what is a positive predictive value?
likelihood that a patient with a positive result has the disease
what is a negative predictive value?
likelihood that a patient with a negative result does not have the disease
what are the proteins measured in total protein?
albumin
globulins (include clotting factors)
how can total protein be measured?
refractometry
biuret method
where is albumin produced?
hepatocytes
where is albumin catabolised?
most tissues
what is the function of albumin?
carrier protein
role in oncotic pressure
what is albumin a carrier protein for?
unconjugated bilirubin bile acid free-fatty acid drugs hormones calcium
where are globulins produced?
B lymphocytes
plasma cells
liver
what does serum protein electrophoresis separate proteins based on?
size of molecule
electrical charge
what is increased levels of albumin called?
hyperalbuminaemia
hyperalbuminaemia is usually only relative, what does this mean?
body doesn’t overproduce albumin
what may be a causes of hyperalbuminaemia?
dehydration
what may hyperalbuminaemia be accompanied by?
increased PCV
azotaemia
increase of all proteins
what is increased levels of globulins called?
hyperglobulinaemia
what could cause hyperglobulinaemia?
dehydration
inflammation
how is hyperglobulinaemia characterised by electrophoresis?
monoclonal or polyclonal
what is monoclonal hyperglobulinaemia?
production of a single type of immunoglobulin usually due to neoplasia
what is the most common neoplasia that causes monoclonal hyperglobulinaemia?
multiple myeloma
what are the types of protein associated with inflammation? (3)
positive acute-phase
negative acute phase
delayer response
what are some examples of positive acute phase proteins?
haptoglobin
fibrinogen
what are some examples of negative acute phase proteins?
albumin
transferrin
what are some examples of delayed response proteins?
complement
immunoglobulin
what do positive acute phase proteins do during inflammation?
increase in number
what do negative acute phase proteins do during inflammation?
decrease in number
are acute phase proteins specific?
no (non-specific)
what are acute phase proteins under the influence of?
cytokines
what do rapid reacting acute phase proteins do?
increase within 24 hours then decrease rapidly after the insult is removed
what are some examples of rapid reacting acute phase proteins?
serum amyloid A
C reactive protein
what are some examples of late reacting acute phase proteins?
haptoglobin
fibrinogen
what are the causes of hyperfibrinogenaemia?
inflammation
dehydration
how can hyperfibrinogenaemia be measured?
heat precipitation
coagulation assay
what may cause hypofibrinogenaemia?
decreased synthesis from liver increased consumption (fibrinogeneolysis)
what tests can be effected by decreased fibrinogen production?
fibrinogen concentration
PT
PTT
TP
what is the term used if all proteins are low?
panhypoproteinaemia
what could cause panhypoproteinaemia?
acute haemorrhage
GI loss
what are some causes of hypoaluminaemia due to decreased production?
chronic liver disease
prolonged malnutrition
maldigestion/malabsorption
what are some causes of hypoaluminaemia due to increased loss?
kidney-glomerular leakage
GI loss
burns
when is hypoglobulinaemia seen?
failure of passive transfer in neonates
combine immunodeficiency in foals
what are cholesterol and triglyceride required to be incorporated with to be transported in blood?
into a soluble lipid-protein complex (lipoprotein)
what are the types of lipoproteins?
chylomicrons
very low density lipoprotein
low density lipoprotein
high density lipoprotein
what do chylomicrons deliver to cells?
dietary triglycerides
what do very low density lipoproteins deliver to cells?
triglycerides made by the liver
what do low density lipoproteins deliver to cells?
cholesterol
what do high density lipoproteins do?
pick up tissue cholesterol for elimination in bile
what lipids are tested for in blood?
total cholesterol and triglycerides
what is lipaemia primarily caused by?
increased chylomicrons
increased VLDLs
what does plasma look like during lipaemia?
opaque plasma