Normal Lab Values Flashcards
Fecal Occult Blood Testing
Bleeding into gut, warns of cancer and other serious disease. Point of care kits may not pick up all pt with occult blood, so send stool specimen off if good history and physical suggests GI dz. Done every year on pt >50
Defer Fecal Occult Blood Testing if
Diarrhea, colitis, constipation, diverticulitis, ulcers, hemorrhoid flare ups, period. (dont want cross contamination)
Foods to avoid before Feccal Occult Blood Testing. Why?
Contiain heme or peroxidase (false +) or strong reducing agents (false -)
Beets, broccoli, Red meat, Vitamin C, horseradish
Stomach Anatomy and Physiology
storing, mixing, moving food into intestines
secrete IF for B12 absorption
Different areas/cells have diff fxn
Helicobacter pylori
microbe that is the cause of most stomach and duodenal ulcers, chronic stomach inflammation and long term stomach upset.
Urea Breath Test
for H. pylori.
C13 or C14 given by mouth. If H. pylori present, it breaks down urea to CO2, which the test detects
Biopsy Urease Test
for H. pylori
fragment of stomach or duodenal mucosa obtained on enoscopy dropped onto a gell that contains urea and pH indicator
ammonia generated from the urea by H. pylori changes the pH and color
Direct visualization, biopsy
for H. pylori
flagellated gram - rod
endoscopy - look for mucosal erythema, erosions granularity and nodularity
organisms can be seen on HandE or special stains in gastric mucin lining the pits
Seeing Helicobacter
Special stains: Geimsa, Diff Quick
Silver stains: Warthin-Starry, Gena, Dieterle silver
Immunohistochemistry and direct flourescent antibody testing used most often. KNOW WHAT Ab YOU NEED
Autoimmune Gastritis
immune mediated injury to gastric oxyntic mucosa
Gastric pH is alkaline or neutral (achlorhydria)
Serum pepsinogen likely reduced
Ab against H/K Atpase
IF Ab can also be present - low serum B12
Achlorhydria
decreased production of acid by parietal cells
most common atrophic gastritis
anti acid meds induce artificial achlorhydria
High serum gastrin, low serum pepsinogen
24 hr gastric acid profile (NG gube)
Hyperchlorhydria
gastric pH<2
remember gastrin stimulates acid production
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome= neuroendocrine tumor secreting gastrin.
Malabsorption vs Maldigestion
Malabsorption=SI not fxnl
Maldigestion= exocrine pancreas not fxnl
both present with discomort, diarrhea, weight loss
low serum albumin, low faat soluble vitamins
Fecal fat testing
both malabsorption and maldigestion fecal fat increased above 6g/day. have both qualitative and quantitative (72hr)
Pancreatic Insufficiency
Pancreas produces many enzymes for digestion, and many things gan cause pancreatic insufficiency
Fecal elastase 1 is current best screen. usually reduced if pancreatic fxn poor enough to cause illness
Small Bowel Insufficiency
Malabsorption due to celiac sprue/gluten enteropathy, Chron’s regional enteritis and others
prevents absorption of nutrients, despite them being well digested.
can screen for underlying condition of malabsorption and complications
Things you may screen for in Small Bowel insufficiency
B12, Vit D, Vit A; PTT, Celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, pancreatic fxn, methylmalonic acid, hydrogen breath test, xylose absorption test, lactose absorption
Other Testing for Small Bowel Insufficiency
Ultrasound, CT, endoscopy, ERCP endoscopic retrograde pancreatography
D-xylose test
Screen for small bowel insufficiency
sugar taken by mouth, if small bowel normal, it is found in blood and urine soon after
Draw blood at 2 hrs. Collect all urine for 5hrs
Test is not routinely used
D-xylose test: Results
High blood xylose and low urine levels suggests renal dysfxn
Low blood and urine levels suggest poor absorption (bacteria, parasites, short bowel, celiac)
Follow up with abnormal results