T3 L8: Blood science results Flashcards
What % of clinical decisions are based on data from a lab in the UK?
70%
What does the Histology and Cytology division of pathology test for?
Tissue. Tests for malignancy, infections, auto-immune
What does the Bacteriology and Virology division of pathology test for?
Causes of infection. Tests cultures, antigen and antibody testing and PCR. Responsible for antibiotic use
What does the Haematology division of pathology division test for?
Diseases of the blood, transfusion and coagulation
What does the Biochemistry and Immunology division of pathology test for?
Measurement of analytes in blood, urine, CSF…
Why are some steroid hormones so similar in structure?
Because they are all derived from the same molecule. Eg. Cholesterol
What is the most abundant ion in the blood?
Sodium
Order these from most abundant to least abundant in the blood: Creatinine, cortisol, sodium and free thyroxine (T4)
- sodium
- creatinine
- cortisol
- free thyroxine (T4)
What are sodium, potassium, urea, and creatinine results used to determine?
Renal function
What are total protein, albumin, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and alanine transaminase results used to determine?
Liver function
What are total protein, albumin, calcium, phosphate, and alkaline phosphatase results used to determine?
The bone profile
What are TSH (free T4 and T3) results used to determine?
Thyroid function
What are total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride results used to determine?
The lipid profile
Why are creatinine levels higher in men?
Men have a higher muscle mass than woman generally and creatinine is produced by muscles. Muscle mass is also dependent on age and therefore so is creatinine
What are the 5 sources of alkaline phosphatase (ALP)?
Liver, bone, intestine, kidney, and placenta
What does bone alkaline phosphatase (ALP) show?
The rate of bone growth. Will be a lot higher in children compared to adults
Give an example of a hormone that changes during each trimester of pregnancy
Thyroid stimulating hormone - TSH (free T4 and T3)
Where is Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) produced?
Pituitary gland
What is Thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH)?
Involved in thyroid gland regulation and function
What hormone moves in the opposite direction to TSH?
Thyroxine (T4). So when TSH is low, T4 should be really high
Why are cortisol level highest in the morning?
Because cortisol follow a circadian rhythm
With what 2 types of disease would alkaline phosphatase be elevated?
Liver and bone disease
What do elevated troponin levels indicate?
Heart disease (MI)
