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Clinical Biochemistry 1 > Definitions > Flashcards

Definitions Flashcards

1
Q

Analyte

A

A substance whose chemical constituents are being identified and measured.

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2
Q

Micturition

A

Urination

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3
Q

Meconium

A

First faeces of a newborn

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4
Q

Ascites

A

The accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, causing abdominal swelling.

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5
Q

Spittle

A

The fluid which is behind the tongue (like when we gargle) as opposed to saliva which is in the front.

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6
Q

Icteric/Icterus

A

Means jaundic

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7
Q

Plasma

A

The liquid, cell-free part of blood that has been treated with anticoagulants.
Plasma has HAS fibrinogen

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8
Q

Serum

A

The liquid part of blood AFTER COAGULATION, therefore devoid of clotting factors as fibrinogen.
Serum = plasma - fibrinogen
Serum has NO fibrinogen

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9
Q

Intubation

A

Insertion of tube into an airway

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10
Q

Haematochezia

A

Visible/fresh blood in the stool (suggesting lower GIT bleeding)

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11
Q

Melaena

A

Dark or black coloured faeces due to partly digested blood. (Suggesting upper GIT bleeding)

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12
Q

Haematemesis

A

Vomiting blood (suggesting upper GIT bleeding)

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13
Q

Effusion

A

A pathological accumilation of fluids in any of the potential spaces in the body (normally they have little fluid which is lubricatory but can accumulate fluid in disease state)

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14
Q

Starling’s Forces

A

The forces that keep fluids in the spaces that they are found. Eg. Blood doesn’t seep out of blood vessels because of Starling’s Forces such as hydrostatic pressure and oncotic pressure.

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15
Q

Ascitic effusion

A

Peritoneal (abdominal) effusion

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16
Q

Quality Assurance

A

Involves the whole process of producing and utilizing a result - as in the pre-analytical, analytical and post analytical processes.

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17
Q

Quality Control

A

Involves only the analytical aspect of producing a result, not pre-analytical as you can’t “control” things like the patient fasting. Minimizing the chances of producing a result that’s not valid.

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18
Q

Standard Operation Procedures (SOP)

A

Clear details for a method or protocol and the details are to be followed or a given analysis. A parameter for use to achieve acceptable quality assurance.

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19
Q

Accreditation

A

A form of license, like a professional recognition. Quality control and assurance goes into account. You can get accredited for certain things, eg. Accredited to teach.

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20
Q

Accuracy

A

When a method will, on average, yield results close to the true value of what is being measured.

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21
Q

Precision

A

When methods yield results that are close to one another but not necessarily close to the true value. (Reproducibility/consistency) - hitting the same point repeatedly)

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22
Q

Random Errors

A

Unavoidable/unpredictable errors in results which can be identified. Usually human derived so can be eliminated with good recruitment, automation, SOPs etc.
Expressed as standard deviation, coefficient of variation or both.

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23
Q

Standard Deviation

A

A measurement of scatter.

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24
Q

Systematic Error

A

Error peculiar to a particular analysis/method/instrument. They tend to be consistent and proper maintenance of equipment and constant review of methodology normally eliminates/minimises these errors.
Eg. A pipette is saying 5uL but it’s outputting 5.2uL

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25
Q

“Inter” precision

A

Means “out”. Open systems among groups. So batch to batch variation.

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26
Q

“Intra” precision

A

Means “in”. Closed systems among 1 group. Within batch variation.

27
Q

Coefficient of Variation

A

Represents the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean, and it is a useful statistic for comparing the degree ofvariationfrom one data series to another. Usually expressed as a percentage.

28
Q

Sensitivity

A

Ability to detect small amounts. Eg. Detecting a tumour when it is very small.

29
Q

Linearity

A

Smallest detection limit

30
Q

Specificity

A

Ability to detect only the test substance. Eg. Detecting only beta D-glucose instead of alpha D-glucose.

31
Q

Qualitative

A

Measures the presence or absence of a substance in a sample.

Eg. Pregnancy test = you’re either pregnant or not. Or some diseases = Do I have it? Or don’t I have it?

32
Q

Quantitative

A

Measurements with figures such as amount of glucose in your body. Is it going up? Or going down?

33
Q

Semi-quantitative/qualitative

A

When you say negative or positive +1, +2, +3 etc Although it’s not figures, you give an indication of severity or how present a substance is in sample.

34
Q

Primary standard

A

A substance of known purity dissolved in a known volume of solvent (so concentration is therefore known) to give a primary standard.

35
Q

Secondary standard

A

Prepared in the lab for a specific analysis. Usually standardised against the primary standard.

36
Q

Internal standard

A

Adding a compound to a known sample, you know how it will migrate and you use it to calculate other migrations (such as in chromatography)

37
Q

Aqueous and protein based standards

A

Made from the same or similar material to what you’re testing (like blood)

38
Q

Kinetic reactions

A

Measuring the speed of a reaction, it doesn’t need to complete.

39
Q

End-Point reactions

A

You wait for all chemicals to react and THEN take a measurement.

40
Q

Automation

A

Making a process or system operate automatically (self-acting) and this is achieved in most cases by using electronic devices.

41
Q

Bi-directional interface

A

Interfaces involve the movement of information to and from laboratory information system (LIS) and the instrument without human involvement.
So - information is flowing back and forth (TWO directions)

42
Q

Uni-directional interface

A

Acquiring data from an instrument and reporting it yourself to laboratory information system (LIS). So you take information from an instrument such as a print out and you enter it manually into the computer.
So - information is flowing in ONE direction.

43
Q

Discrete analysis

A

Each specimen in the batch has its own physical space and reagents are added to it separate from other specimens.

44
Q

Simultaneous analysis

A

(Parallel analysis) Carry out different measurements on the same specimen at the same time, specimens are subjected to a series of analytical processes at the same time in a parallel fashion. Very versatile analysis.

45
Q

Batch analysis

A

Carry out analysis only in batches.

46
Q

Delta checking

A

A comparison of consecutive values for a given test in a patient’s laboratory file used to detect abrupt changes, usually generated as a part of computer-based quality control programs
For example: When a result is so absurdly out of range or not usually heard of for a particular disease, the computer will alert you that something is wrong.

47
Q

Critical alerts

A

An alarm or alert that when you hear/see it, you know something is wrong and needs attention. Some software can beep when an analyser picks up an abnormality.

48
Q

Reflex testing

A

When an abnormal result is received, without even thinking about it, you do other tests to investigate further even without request.
Eg. If calcium comes back extremely high, reflex testing would be testing for cancer - you don’t want to wait.

49
Q

Dedicated analysis

A

An analyser which can only be used with reagents from that particular company/supplier (kind of like apple phones and computers).

50
Q

Flow based analysis

A

Indiscrete analysis involving a lot of tubing from reagents, air and samples etc.
Length, diameter etc of tubing determine the volume of reagents used and can be quite wasteful. Flow rate determines when you inject other reagents if necessary.

51
Q

Molar Absorption Coefficient

A

This is a constant! The amount of light that a particular compound is going to absorb if it is a molar solution

52
Q

Path Length

A

Basically the diameter of the cuvette. The path that light passes through the solution. (In cuvettes in CSU lab, it’s 1cm). You are always given this because you can measure the dimensions of the cuvette.

53
Q

Oliguria

A

The production of abnormally small amounts of urine

54
Q

Reliability

A

The combination of precision and accuracy

55
Q

Population V Sample

A

A population is a large collection of persons, things or observations.

A sample is a subgroup of a population of values.

56
Q

Standard Deviation

A

Standard deviation is a mathematical concept, stating the extent of random variation in any series of measurements (a sample).

57
Q

Coefficient V Standard Deviation

A

A problem with standard deviation is that it is expressed in units of measurement, and this complicates comparison of precision of methods where different units are used. Calculating the coefficient of variation circumvents this problem.
The coefficient of variation (CV) is defined as

CV = SD/mean x100

where SD is the standard deviation and is the mean.

58
Q

RAAS

A

Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System.
Secreted when renal blood flow (arteriolar pressure) is reduced or supply of Na+ to DCT is reduced.
- It converts angiotensinogen to angiotensin 1, which in turn is converted to angiotensin 2 (by ACE - angiotensin-converting enzyme). Angiotensin 2 stimulate release of aldosterone from adrenal cortex. Aldosterone acts on DCT to promote Na+ reabsorption in exchange for urinary loss of H+ or K+.
- Na+ can’t enter cells freely so contributes only to ECF volume expansion.
- Slow but is the main regulatory mechanism for Na+ excretion.

59
Q

ADH

A

Anti-Diuretic Hormone. Also called Vasopressin.
Produced by posterior pituitary gland.
Increases the reabsorption of H2O in DCT and collecting duct = decreased urine volume, decreased plasma osmolality.
- Sensitively controlled by small changes in ECF tonicity and tonic inhibitory control from baroreceptors in L atrium and great vessels.
So, lowered blood pressure etc reduces stretch on baroreceptors and triggers ADH (vasopressin) secretion.

60
Q

ANP

A

Atrial Natriuretic Peptide.
Secreted by cardiocytes of RIGHT atrium.
When ECF volume increases, it reduces ECF volume by increasing renal Na+ excretion

61
Q

Osmolarity

A

The concentration of a solution expressed as the total number of solute particles per litre.

62
Q

Osmolality

A

The concentration of a solution expressed as the total number of solute particles per kilogram.

63
Q

Tonicity

A

Tonicityis a measure of the effective osmotic pressure gradient, asdefinedby the water potential of two solutions separated by a semipermeable membrane. In other words,tonicityis the relative concentration of solutes dissolved in solution which determine the direction and extent of diffusion. Eg. hypertonic, hypotonic, isotonic.

Clinical Biochemistry 1 (2 decks)

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