Nutrition Labs Worksheet

Question 0

Oxygen carrying protein of RBCs

Answer 0

HGB (hemoglobin)

Measures O2 and iron carrying capacity of blood.

Question 1

Low serum ___________ indicates prolonged protein depletion.

Answer 1

Albumin

Question 2

Volume of RBCs, measures of plasma protein

Answer 2

HCT (hematocrit)

Reflects pts iron status

Question 3

Breakdown product of amino acids

Answer 3

Urea

Question 4

A protein that binds and carries iron from the intestine through the serum and has a shorter half-life than albumin (8 to 9 days), so it responds more quickly in protein depletion

Answer 4

Transferrin

• Can be measured directly or by a total iron binding capacity (TIBC) test, which indicates the amount of iron in the blood available to bind to transferrin
• Low serum transferrin levels indicate protein loss, iron deficiency, anemia, pregnancy, hepatitis, or liver dysfunction
• Increased serum transferrin levels indicates iron deficiency anemia
• Prealbumin or thyroxine- binding albumin - short term nutritional status
• Short half life and smallest body pool, so shows changes in nutritional status more quickly
• should be measured twice a week

Question 5

Normal Prealbumin level

Answer 5

15-35 mg/dl

Question 6

Prealbumin level below 15

Answer 6

Client at risk for malnutrition

Question 7

Altered liver function, hydration status, and losses from open wounds or burns can also impact __________ levels.

Answer 7

Albumin

Question 8

Prealbumin level below 11

Answer 8

Indicates a need for aggressive nutritional interventions

Question 9

Low serum ____________ levels can indicate protein loss, iron deficiency, anemia, pregnancy, hepatitis, or liver dysfunction.

Answer 9

Transferrin

Question 10

What does a Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) test measure?

Answer 10

Indicates the amount of iron in the blood available to bind to transferrin.

Question 11

A measure of pts protein status - nutritional status over the past few weeks

Answer 11

Albumin

• One of the most common visceral proteins evaluated but albumin levels change slowly because it is not broken down quickly (half-life of 18 to 20 days)
• Low serum albumin indicates prolonged protein depletion
• Altered liver function, hydration status, and losses from open wounds or burns can also impact albumin levels

Question 13

Increased Tranferrin level indicates __________ _________ __________.

Answer 13

Iron deficiency anemia

Question 14

Chief end product of amino acid metabolism and directly reflects the intake and breakdown of dietary protein, rate of urea production in the liver and rate of urea removed by kidneys

Answer 14

Urea levels

Question 15

Measures protein catabolism and the state of nitrogen balance

Answer 15

Urinary urea nitrogen and urinary creatinine

Question 16

Measures protein metabolism including urine creatinine excretion and urine urea nitrogen.

Answer 16

24 hour urine

Question 16

What urinary level reflects a person’s total muscle mass?

Answer 16

Urinary creatinine because creatinine is the chief end product of the creatinine produced when energy is released during skeletal muscle metabolisms

Question 17

Rate of ___________ formation is directly proportional to the total muscle atrophies during malnutrition - _____________ excretion is decreased.

Answer 17

Creatinine

Question 18

A ___________ nitrogen balance exist when output exceeds intake.

Answer 18

Positive

Nitrogen balance is determined by comparing nitrogen intake to nitrogen output over a 24 hour period.

Question 19

Which urinary test decreases as protein depletion occurs?

Answer 19

Total lymphocyte count

Question 20

What factors could cause an increased BUN?

Answer 20

Excess protein, dehydration, malnutrition, starvation, excessive protein intake, and kidney disease.

Question 22

What factors could cause a decrease in BUN levels?

Answer 22

Decreased BUN results from low protein rich foods

Question 23

Normal HGB level

Answer 23

12-15 g/100 mL

Question 25

Breakdown product of amino acids

Answer 25

Urea

Question 27

True or false: There is a single lab that indicates malnutrition. If true, which lab?

Answer 27

False, there is no single lab that indicates malnutrition, instead look at labs together and look at trends.

Question 28

What is a normal BUN level?

Answer 28

9 - 20

Question 29

What is a normal creatinine level?

Answer 29

0.8 - 1.5

Question 30

During skeletal muscle metabolism, ____________ is released at rate proportional to total body mass. 24 hour urine is done to measure total amount of _____________ excreted by kidneys.

Answer 30

Creatinine In malnutrition, it is decreased as a result of muscle atrophy.

Question 31

What is a normal transferrin level?

Answer 31

250 - 425

Question 32

A blood protein in combination with iron, is used to transport iron throughout the body to all cells. It is responsive to iron stores, increasing when iron stores are low and decreasing when they are high.

Answer 32

Transferrin Levels should be assessed to identify iron stores that provide info on visceral body protein.

Question 33

Synthesized in the liver from amino acids; plays roll in fluid and electrolyte balance and transport of nutrients, hormones, and drugs.

Answer 33

Albumin

Question 34

____________ levels are good indicators of nutritional status, however it has a long half-life and fluctuates according to level of hydration, so not a good indicator of acute changes in protein status. The body stores and maintains normal levels until chronic malnutrition occurs.

Answer 34

Albumin

Question 35

______________ is a more sensitive indicator of malnutrition then albumin because it responds to short-term changes in proteins stores.

Answer 35

Prealbumin level

Question 36

Which lab test is a Nitrogen balance study that indicates degree to which protein is being depleted or replaced?

Answer 36

BUN

Question 37

___________ increases with excess protein, dehydration, malnutrition, starvation, excessive protein intake, and kidney disease.

Answer 37

BUN

Question 38

A decreased Hgb below normal levels indicates what?

Answer 38

Anemia or blood loss

Question 39

Normal albumin level

Answer 39

3.5 g/dl

Question 40

An albumin level between 2.8 - 3.4 shows

Answer 40

Mild protein depletion

Question 41

An albumin level between 2.1 - 2.7 shows

Answer 41

Moderate protein depletion

Question 42

An albumin level <2.1 indicates

Answer 42

Severe protein depletion

Question 43

What is a TLC level?

Answer 43

Another test to measure protein depletion. Protein deficiency may cause depression in immune system, with resultant decrease in TLC. Can occur with debilitating disease such as cancer.