Clinical Chemistry
Chemical analyses are useful diagnostic and therapeutic measurements upon which clinicians depend for reliable diagnosis and patient management. Clinical Chemistry is concerned primarily with quantitative analysis of substances found in blood or blood serum. Other fluids such as urine, spinal fluid and pleural fluid are often analyzed. The substances for which the analyses are performed are known as analytes.
ANALYTICAL METHODS
ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS
REFERENCE RANGES OF SOME ANALYTES WITH DIAGNOSTIC INTERPRETATION
Analytes are often classified by type: Analyte Type Examples Electrolytes Na+, K+, Cl-, HCO3-, PO4-3, Ca+2, Mg+2, etc. Enzymes Alkaline Phosphatase, Acid Phosphatase, Creatine Phosphokinase, Lactic Acid Dehydrogenase, Glutamic-Oxalacetic Transaminase, Amylase, etc. Proteins Total protein, Albumin, Globulin, Pre-albumin, Alpha globulins, Beta Globulins, Immunoglobulins, etc. Organics Glucose, Urea, Uric Acid, Creatinine, Acetone, Cholesterol, etc. A more useful classification of analytes organizes analytes by organ or diagnostic profiles: Profile Type Composition of Example Profiles Renal (kidney) Na+, K+, Cl-, HCO3-, PO4-3, Urea nitrogen, Creatinine, Uric acid, Albumin Hepatic (liver) Total Bilirubin, Direct Bilirubin, AST, ALT, ALP, Cholesterol, Total Protein, Albumin, Globulin Cardiac (heart) CPK, LDH, Beta-HBD, Troponin I, Troponin T, CPK-MB, Myoglobin Hypertensive Cholesterol, HDL (HDL-cholesterol), LDL (LDL-cholesterol), (circulatory) VLDL (VLDL-cholesterol), Triglycerides, Renin Thyroid Thyroxin, Free Thyroxin, Thyroid Uptake or Tri-iodothyronine, TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) Basic Metabolic Na+, K+, Cl-, HCO3-, Ca+2, Urea nitrogen, Creatinine, Glucose Comprehensive Metabolic Na+, K+, Cl-, HCO3-, Ca+2, Urea nitrogen, Creatinine, Glucose, Bilirubin, AST, Total Protein, Albumin, Cholesterol, ALP