NA part 2 Flashcards
What is biochemical assessment and why is it important?
Measurement of nutritional markers in blood, urine (and other fluids and tissues)
• Detects subclinical nutrient deficiencies- nutritional deficiencies that are not yet severe and don’t show physical symptoms
What do biochemical assessment examine?
- Visceral and somatic proteins
- Hematological assessment
- Lipid profile
- Micronutrient assessment
- Immunocompetence assessment mainly through lymphocyte count
What are biochemical markers affected by?
- Nutritional status, medication, illness/physiological state
What is visceral protein status reflected by? Why do we need to sample it
serum proteins, RBC, WBC
we cannot do a biopsy of vital organs to test the status of vital proteins, but we can test serum proteins
Malnutrition causes decrease in oran mass and substrate supply and thus inflicts a decrease a decrease in the synthesis of serum proteins
What are the components of the blood
- Albumin- most abundant
- Fibronectin
- Transferrin (includes prealbumin aka transthyretin (thryoid hormone transport) and retinal-binding proteins
Are serum proteins are good markers of malnutrition?
No They are indeed affected by malnutrition and thus can serve as markers of it but-> Low sensitivity and specificity for nutritional status; influenced by: - Poor protein intake - Altered metabolism and synthesis - Hydration - Inflammation - Pregnancy - Medications - Exercise
How does inflammation affect serum proteins?
Decreases the level of serum proteins
What are the lives of various serum proteins
- Albumin (most abundant) - T 1⁄2 17-21 days
- Transferrin- T 1⁄2 8-10 days
- Prealbumin or transthyretin (TTR) - T 1⁄2 2-3 days
- Retinol Binding Protein (RBP) - T 1⁄2 10-12 hours
Why would we need to know half-lives of serum proteins? What are the ways of overcoming the problems we encounter?
important to know half-lives when we implement treatment to see if we are improving when on treatment
sometimes the change is not reflected during re-assesment as albumin doesn’t have time to be replaced as it has along half life.
this however can be overcome by measuring prealbumin
Function of albumin
Maintains osmotic pressure
Transport of large insoluble molecules, drugs, calcium, zinc
Function of transferrin
Iron transport
Function of TTR
Transport of T3 and T4
Carrier for RBP (retinol binding protein)
Function of RBP
Retinol transport from liver to periphery Circulates with TTR
When is albumin high and low
High- during dehydration
Low- during low protein intake, malabsorption, trauma, surgery, overhydration, edema, acute illness, aging, inflammation
When is transferrin high; low
High- during Fe deficiency, pregnancy, chronic loss
Low- during acute illness, chronic infection, PEM, systemic disease
When is TTR high; low
High- during renal disease, Hodgkins disease (blood cancer that starts in the lymphatic system)
Low- during Liver disease, PEM, chronic loss, malabsorption, hyperthyroidism
When is RBP high; low
High- during renal disease
Low- during Vitamin A deficiency, zinc deficiency, hyperthyroidism, liver disease
What is the connection between cytokines and acute phase proteins?
cytokines stimulate liver to make acute phase proteins
Name negative acute phase proteins
How are they affected by inflammation, illness or metabolic stress?
Albumin, transferrin, TTR and RBP are negative acute- phase proteins: levels decrease by >25% during inflammation, illness or metabolic stress
Describe C-reactive protein (CRP)?
What is used to asses?
What are the normal levels
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a positive acute-phase protein
– Used to detect mild or acute inflammation –> Normal <1, mild chronic 1-5, acute >5 mg/L
– Not a nutritional marker but very useful to interpret other serum proteins
CRP is also a marker of CVD
Which organ makes C-reactive protein?
liver
What are the cutoff for albumin?
Normal level is above 35g/L
Name ways to assess somatic protein status
Nitrogen balance
Creatine excretion
Immune function
What does nitrogen balance assess?
- Reflects total protein retention or losses (but not mass)
What does creatinine excretion assess?
reflects skeletal muscle mass
• excretion is proportional to skeletal muscle mass
What does immune function assess?
it is measured via total lymphocyte count, which is used to assess infection, trauma, diseases, medications as these conditions lower the lymphocyte count
What do visceral proteins assess?
Somatic?
visceral proteins (VPs) such as albumin, retinol-binding protein (RBP), transferrin and transthyretin are used to monitor the metabolic response to nutritional support. thus, visceral proteins are used to asses the status of nonmuscular protein making up the organ Somatic protein us used to assess skeletal muscle status
when would nitrogen balance be positive?
Positive (anabolism>catabolism)
- Pregnancy, growth, recovery from illness, athletic training
when would nitrogen balance be negative?
Starvation, trauma, surgery, poor quality protein intake, inadequate protein intake
how to calculate nitrogen balance?
N Balance (g/day) = (pro intake g/6.25) - (UUN g + 4)
1 g nitrogen = 6.25 g protein (N comprises 16% of proteins)
• Total 24-h UUN (mmol) = (UUN mmol/L)(24h-urine volume L)
Conversion factor: 1 mmol UUN = 0.028 g UUN
• factor 4 is g of protein from N excretion via skin and feces
URINARY, NOT BLOOD UREA!
collect urine over 24h
calculate nb
Pt intake of 62.5 g protein/day and excretion of 200 mmol/L UUN in 2.0 L of urine
UUN (g) = (200 mmol/L x 0.028) x 2 L = 11.2 g N balance = 62.5/6.25 - (11.2 + 4) = - 5.2 g
negative balance: current intake is insufficient to maintain N balance
Nitrogen balance limitations
• Time consuming: 24h (ideally 3x24h )
• Prone to errors:
– Protein intake: estimated vs. measured
– Missed or incomplete urine collections
– Does not account for losses due to diarrhea, vomiting, wound leaks,…
• Errors always favor a MORE POSITIVE BALANCE (overestimation of intake + underestimation of losses)-> have to keep it in mind when we do calculations as the results may be worse than it seems
When would creatinine excretion increase? Decrease?
- Increase with exercise, meat intake, menstruation, infection, fever, trauma
- Decrease with renal failure (as creatinine is filtered by kidneys) and age
Where is creatinine excreted? WHere is it stored
in urine
it is stored in SKELETAL muscle
What are the normal values for creatinine excretion?
USING IDEAL BODY WEIGHT
- Women: 18 mg/kg IBW
- e.g. 50.9 kg female excretes 916 mg/24 h
- Men: 23 mg/kg IBW
- e.g. 77 kg male excretes 1771 mg/24 h
how to calculate creatinine height index and interpretation
Creatinine Height Index CHI =
observed 24h creatinine excreted (mg)/ expected 24h creatinine excretion (mg)
Interpretation:
60-80% mild depletion
40-59% moderate
<40% severe
What are the limitations of creatine excretion measures?
- Rely on complete 24h urine collections: errors
- Meat-free diet prior to testing
Some available laboratory results of Mr. G.:
- S. Albumin 37 g/L
- S. Transferrin 3.0 g/L
- S. Prealbumin 0.14 g/L
• Does this data correspond to a PEM diagnosis?
Albumin and transferrin levels are normal
Prealbumin levels is a bit low
1) he has diarrhea, so these values could be even lower-> not normal—> PEM
when we rehydrate, the change will be fast
What is a hematological assessment?
Complete blood count (CBC): erythrocytes (number, size, shape, color) to diagnose anemia(s)
What are the classifications of RBC in anemia based on color
- Hypochromic (pale color)
- Normochromic
- Hyperchromic (darker color)
What are the classifications of RBC in anemia based on the size
- Microcytic (small cells)
- Normocytic
- Macrocytic (large cells)
- Megaloblastic- big and abnormally shaped
What are the possible deficiencies that cause anemia?
- Iron (microcytic, hypochromic)
- Folate (macrocytic, megaloblastic)
- Vitamin B12 (macrocytic, megaloblastic)
- Other micronutrients (Vitamin C, E)
- Anemia of chronic diseases (normocytic, normochromic)- due to blood losses
no effect on color and shape
Name possible general tests for anemia
- Hemoglobin
- Hematocrit
- RBC count
- mean corpuscular volume
- mean corpuscular Hb
- MCHC
Describe Hb test for general anemia
Routinely done measured in g/L deficit <120 women; <140 men - Total amount in RBC - Decreased during PEM, hemorrhage and other anemias
Describe hematocrit test for general anemia
measured in % deficit <37 women; <40 men) - % of RBC in total blood volume - Increased during dehydration - Decreased during hemorrhage and water overload
What are the RBC count units and anemia cutoffs?
x10^12/L,
deficit <4.2 women; <4.5 men
Describe MCV test for general anemia
Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)- a measure of shape
- RBC size: microcytic (<76) vs. macrocytic (>100 um3)
- MCV = [Hct / RBC] X 10
Describe MCH test for general anemia
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH)
Measures Hb concentration in the cell, not in the blood
-> serves as an indicator of colour
(in pg/cell): hypochromic (<21) vs. hyperchromic (>38)
Describe MCHC test for anemia
Mean corpuscular Hb concentration
Hb/Hct
Ratio of Hb to Hematocrit
What is the order of iron depletion during deficiency
Storage iron ↓ Transport iron ↓ essential iron
Where and how is iron stored? How are iron stores tested?
Iron is stored in the liver, bone marrow, spleen in the form of ferritin
By testing ferritin levels
Where and how is iron transported? How are iron transport tested?
by transferrin
- transferrin saturation is measured
NOT THE CONCENTRATION
How are essential iron levels measured
By measuring the function of RBC, myoglobin and enzymes since their function is affected by iron depletion
Name laboratory tests for iron deficiency anemia
- serum ferritin
- serum iron
- total iron binding capacity (TIBC)
- transferrin saturation
- erythrocyte protophyrin
Describe serum ferritin test for iron deficiency anemia
Serum Ferritin (deficit <20 μg/L) - Low in early deficiency state - Depleted iron stores
Describe serum iron test for iron deficiency anemia
Serum iron is a medical laboratory test that measures the amount of circulating iron that is bound to transferrin (90%) and serum ferritin (10%).
- reflects iron bound to transferrin;
- Low in early deficiency state
deficit <0.65 mg/L
if transferrin is less saturated—> it has __ saturation capacity
if transferrin is less saturated—> it has high saturation capacity
Describe TIBC test for iron deficiency anemia
Total Iron Binding Capacity, TIBC
(deficit >4.5 mg/L; N=2.4-4.5 mg/L)
- Measures the saturation ability for transferrin, high in deficiency
- Needed to assess transferrin saturation
Describe transferrin saturation test for iron deficiency anemia
- Progressively decreases with diminished transport iron
- [S. iron / TIBC] X 100%
Describe Erythrocyte Protoporphyrin test for iron deficiency anemia
Erythrocyte Protoporphyrin (>3 mg/L) - Increases in later deficiency state with limited Hb production
at late stages of anemia protoporphyrin links with __, instead of iron
at late stages of anemia protoporphyrin links with zinc, instead of iron
name Laboratory Tests for Folate Deficiency anemia
- serum folate
- RBC folate
- folate deficiency
Describe serum folate test for folate deficiency
Serum Folate (N= 4.5-45 nmol/L) - Low in progressing deficiency state
Describe RBC folate test for folate deficiency
RBC Folate
- Low in later deficiency state
reflects longer time (prolonged) of folate deficiency
Define criteria to diagnose folate deficiency
low serum and RBC folate + megaloblastic, macrocytic RBC (+ normal B12)
to differentiate form B12 deficiency confirm with RBC folate or serum folate measure
However, both can be low at the same time
Name Laboratory Tests for Anemia: Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Serum B12
Describe B12 anemia tests
Serum B12 (N=120-500 pmol/L)
- Low in progressing deficiency state
- megaloblastic, macrocytic RBC + serum total cobalamin
- Biomarker: ↑ methylmalonic acid (early)
- Biomarker of B12 and folate deficiency: ↑homocysteine
Describe what occurs when FE stores are depleted?
- Transferrin saturation starts to decreases
- Serum ferritin decreases at slower rate
- Free erythrocyte protoporphyrin increases
- RBC iron levels start to decline and hits 0-> ID anemia
- Hb concentration decreases and is absent at Fe deficiency anemia
Is RBC iron affected as soon as Fe stores start to be depleted?
no, only after stores are fully depleted
What is considered to be an excellent, good and source o HEME iron
Excellent Sources (>3.5 mg): Clams, oysters, liver Good Sources (>2.1 mg): Beef cooked, blood pudding, turkey (dark meat ) Sources (0.7 mg): Chicken, ham, lamb, pork, veal, halibut, haddock, perch, salmon, shrimp
What is considered to be an excellent, good and source o NON-HEME iron
Excellent Sources
(>3.5 mg): Cooked legumes, seeds, fortified cereals, tofu
Good Sources (>2.1 mg): Canned legumes, enriched egg noodles, dried apricots
Sources (>0.7 mg): Nuts, sunflower seeds, cooked pasta, bread, bran muffin, cooked oatmeal, wheat germ
What are the risk factors of poor iron status?
- Diet low in meat, fish, poultry
- Diet low in vitamin C
- Diet low in fortified foods (infants)
- Frequent consumption of tea and coffee w/meals (tannins and polyphenols)
- Frequent consumption of iron inhibitors w/meals (phytates, oxalates)
- Regular ASA use (aspirin)
- Menorrhagia (excessive menstrual losses) • 3 or more annual blood donations
- Pregnancy, multiple gestations, parity >3