Lab data used to diagnose nutritional and medical problems

Question 1

Alcoholism

Answer 1

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), thiamin, folate, and Vitamin B12

Question 2

Anemia

Answer 2

Complete Blood Count (CBC), serum iron and ferritin, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin saturation, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), reticulocyte count, red blood cell folate, and serum B12

Question 3

Diabetes

Answer 3

Fasting serum glucose, hemoglobin A1C, insulin levels, C-reactive protein (CRP), serum and urinary ketone bodies.

Question 4

Eating disorders

Answer 4

Potassium, albumin, serum amylase, thyroid studies, beta carotene, Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and anemia

Question 5

Fluid, Electrolyte, and Renal Function

Answer 5

Sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, urine urea nitrogen, urinary and serum, oxalic acid, and uric acid.

Question 6

Hyperlipidemia

Answer 6

Cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, HDL, LPa, homocysteine, and TSH (secondary cause)

Question 7

Musculoskeletal pain, weakness

Answer 7

25(OH) Vitamin D, phosphate, parathyroid hormone (PTH)

Question 8

Malabsorption

Answer 8

24-hour fecal fat, barium imaging studies, electrolytes, albumin, serum triglycerides, and hydrogen breath test.

Question 9

Metabolic Syndrome

Answer 9

Fasting serum glucose, lipid panel, and uric acid

Question 10

Refeeding syndrome

Answer 10

Albumin, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, and potassium

Question 11

Serum protein levels are affected by?

Answer 11

Serum protein levels are affected not only by nutrition and hydration status, but by disease states, surgery, and liver dysfunction.

Question 12

Serum albumin has a half life of __ and reflects nutritional status over the previous __ months?

Answer 12

Serum albumin has a half life of 18-20 days and reflects nutritional status over the previous 1-2 months.

Question 13

Levels of Serum albumin may decrease because?

Answer 13

With acute stress, overhydration, trauma, surgery, liver disease, and renal disease.

Question 14

False increase of serum albumin?

Answer 14

with dehydration

Question 15

What is the half life of Serum transferrin?

Answer 15

8-9 days results of this test reflect intake over the preceding several weeks.

Question 16

What influences the changes in serum transferrin levels?

Answer 16

Iron status, as well as by protein and calorie malnutrition

Question 17

What is the half life of Serum prealbumin?

Answer 17

2-3 days and it reflects nutritional status as well as protein and calorie intake over the previous week.

Question 18

Prealbumin levels may be falsely elevated by?

Answer 18

Renal disease or, as with albumin, reduced with severe liver disease.