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Clinical Biochemistry E-Book

Clinical Biochemistry E-Book

Michael Murphy | Rajeev Srivastava | Kevin Deans

(2018)

Abstract

Now over 70,000 copies sold!

This comprehensively revised edition of Clinical Biochemistry offers essential reading for today’s students of medicine and other health science disciplines – indeed, anyone who requires a concise, practical introduction to the subject. Topics are clearly presented in a series of double-page ‘learning units’, each covering a particular aspect of clinical biochemistry. Four sections provide a core grounding in the subject:

  • Introducing clinical biochemistry gives an insight into how modern hospital laboratories work, and includes an entirely new series of learning units on the interpretation of test results
  • Core biochemistry covers the bulk of routine analyses, and their relevance to the clinical setting
  • Endocrinology provides an overview of endocrine investigations as well as a practical approach to thyroid, adrenal, pituitary and gonadal function testing
  • Specialised investigations embraces an assortment of other topics that students may encounter

This edition represents the most radical revision of the book to date. Every learning unit has been examined and updated to reflect current developments and clinical best practice. Entirely new material includes a series of learning units on interpretation and analytical aspects of clinical biochemistry. Coverage of fluid biochemistry is now more comprehensive. New "Want to know more?" links throughout the book point readers to relevant further information.

  • (Printed version) now includes the complete eBook version for the first time – downloadable for anytime access and enhanced with new, interactive multiple choice questions for each section, to test your understanding and aid exam preparation

Table of Contents

Section Title Page Action Price
Front Cover cover
Inside Front Cover ifc1
Clinical Biochemistry i
Copyright Page iv
Preface v
Acknowledgements vi
Table Of Contents vii
1 Introducing clinical biochemistry 1
1 The clinical biochemistry laboratory 2
The use of biochemical tests 2
Core biochemistry 2
Specialised tests 2
Urgent samples 2
Automation and computerisation 3
Test repertoire 3
Laboratory personnel 3
2 The use of the laboratory 4
Specimen collection 4
Blood specimens 4
Urine specimens 4
High-risk specimens 4
Sampling errors 4
Analysing the specimen 5
Timing 5
Unnecessary testing 5
3 Interpretation of results 6
How biochemical results are expressed 6
Units 6
Reference intervals 6
Biological factors affecting ‘normality’ 6
Health versus disease 7
4 Interpretation of results 8
Diagnostic test outcomes 8
The impact of prevalence on test utility 8
Final thoughts 9
5 Interpretation of results 10
Sources of variation 10
Pre-analytical variation 10
Analytical variation 10
Biological variation 10
Other biological variation 10
6 Analytical aspects 12
Precision and accuracy 12
Analytical sensitivity and specificity 12
Quality assurance 12
2 Core biochemistry 13
7 Fluid and electrolytes 14
Body fluid compartments 14
Evaluation of hydration 14
Osmolality 15
Oncotic pressure 15
8 Water and sodium balance 16
Water 16
AVP and the regulation of osmolality 16
Sodium 16
Aldosterone 17
Atrial natriuretic peptide 17
Regulation of volume 17
9 Hyponatraemia 18
Mechanisms of hyponatraemia 18
Water retention 18
Sodium loss 18
Sodium depletion – a word of caution 19
Pseudohyponatraemia 19
10 Hyponatraemia 20
Clinical assessment 20
Severity 20
Mechanism 20
History 20
Clinical examination 20
Biochemistry 20
Oedema 20
Treatment 21
11 Hypernatraemia 22
Water loss 22
Sodium gain 22
Clinical features 22
Treatment 23
Other osmolality disorders 23
12 Hyperkalaemia 24
Serum potassium and potassium balance 24
Hyperkalaemia 24
Decreased excretion 24
Redistribution out of cells 24
Increased intake 25
Treatment 25
Pseudohyperkalaemia 25
13 Hypokalaemia 26
Diagnosis 26
Redistribution into cells 26
Increased losses 26
Gastrointestinal 26
Urinary 26
Investigation 27
Treatment 27
14 Intravenous fluid therapy 28
Does this patient need IV fluids? 28
Which IV fluids should be given? 28
How much fluid should be given? 28
Existing losses 28
Anticipated losses 28
How quickly should the fluids be given? 28
Perioperative patient 29
How should the fluid therapy be monitored? 29
15 Investigation of renal function (1) 30
Functions of the kidney 30
Glomerular function 30
Serum creatinine 30
Estimated GFR (eGFR) 30
Other ways of measuring GFR 30
Creatinine clearance 31
Proteinuria 31
Endocrine aspects 31
16 Investigation of renal function (2) 32
Renal tubular function 32
Tubular dysfunction 32
Investigation of tubular function 32
Osmolality measurements in plasma and urine 32
The water deprivation test 32
Renal tubular acidosis 32
Specific proteinuria 32
Glycosuria 32
Aminoaciduria 33
Specific tubular defects 33
The Fanconi syndrome 33
Renal stones 33
17 Urinalysis 34
Procedure 34
Glucose 34
Bilirubin 34
Urobilinogen 34
Ketones 35
Specific gravity 35
pH (hydrogen ion concentration) 35
Protein 35
Blood 35
Nitrite 35
Leucocytes 35
18 Proteinuria 36
Mechanisms of proteinuria 36
Glomerular proteinuria 36
Tubular proteinuria 36
Overflow proteinuria 36
Tamm–Horsfall proteinuria 37
Ways of measuring proteinuria 37
Dipstick urinalysis 37
Protein/creatinine ratio 37
Urine protein excretion 37
Albumin/creatinine ratio and ‘microalbuminuria’ 37
19 Acute kidney injury 38
Aetiology 38
Detection of AKI 38
Identifying the cause of AKI 38
Acute tubular necrosis 38
Management 39
Recovery 39
20 Chronic kidney disease 40
Consequences of CKD 40
Sodium and water metabolism 40
Potassium metabolism 40
Acid–base balance 40
Calcium and phosphate metabolism 40
Erythropoietin synthesis 40
Clinical features 40
Detection 41
Classification 41
Management 41
Dialysis 41
Renal transplant 41
21 Acid–base 42
Hydrogen ion concentration [H+] 42
H+ production 42
Buffering 42
Renal handling of H+ and HCO3− 42
Assessing status 42
Acid–base disorders 43
Terminology 43
Compensation 43
22 Metabolic acid–base disorders 44
Metabolic acidosis 44
The anion gap 44
Causes of metabolic acidosis 44
Clinical effects of acidosis 45
Metabolic alkalosis 45
Clinical effects of alkalosis 45
23 Respiratory and mixed acid–base disorders 46
Respiratory acidosis 46
Respiratory alkalosis 46
Mixed acid–base disorders 47
24 Acid–base disorders 48
Specimens for blood gas analysis 48
Interpreting results 48
Clinical cases 48
Management of acid–base disorders 49
25 Proteins and enzymes 50
Enzymes 50
Plasma enzymes in disease 50
Plasma proteins 50
Total protein 50
Albumin 50
Specific proteins 51
Isoenzyme determination 51
Cholinesterase 51
26 Immunoglobulins 52
Structure 52
Electrophoresis of serum proteins 52
Increased immunoglobulins 52
Paraproteins 53
Deficiencies or absence of immunoglobulins 53
27 Myocardial infarction 54
Pathology 54
Cardiac biomarkers 54
Diagnosis 54
Definitions 55
Acute coronary syndrome 55
Myocardial infarction 55
28 Liver function tests 56
Introduction 56
Liver function tests 56
The aminotransferases (ALT and AST) 56
Alkaline phosphatase (ALK) 56
Bilirubin 56
Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) 57
Plasma proteins 57
Prothrombin time 57
29 Jaundice 58
Biochemical tests 58
Differential diagnosis 59
Haemolysis 59
Extrahepatic biliary obstruction 59
Hepatocellular damage 59
30 Liver disease 60
Acute liver disease 60
Investigation 60
Poisoning 60
Liver infection 60
Outcome 60
Hepatic failure 60
Chronic liver disease 60
Aetiology 60
Clinical features 60
Unusual causes of cirrhosis 61
Other liver problems 61
31 Glucose metabolism and diabetes mellitus 62
Insulin 62
Diabetes mellitus 62
Type 1 diabetes mellitus 62
Type 2 diabetes mellitus 62
Late complications of diabetes mellitus 62
32 Diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes mellitus 64
Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus 64
Plasma glucose 64
Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) 64
Monitoring of diabetes 64
Self-monitoring 64
Ketones in urine or blood 64
33 Diabetic ketoacidosis 66
How diabetic ketoacidosis develops 66
3 Endocrinology 79
40 Endocrine control 80
Biochemical regulators 80
Hormone structure 80
Assessment of endocrine control 80
Types of endocrine control 80
Negative feedback 80
Positive feedback 81
Pitfalls in interpretation 81
Dynamic function tests 81
41 Dynamic function tests 82
Insulin stress test 82
TRH test 82
GnRH test 83
Oral glucose tolerance test with GH measurement 83
Synacthen tests 83
Short Synacthen test 83
Long Synacthen test 83
Dexamethasone suppression tests 83
Low-dose DST 83
High-dose DST 83
Dynamic function tests – protocol variation 83
42 Pituitary function 84
The pituitary gland 84
Anterior pituitary hormones 84
Hyperprolactinaemia 84
Posterior pituitary hormones 84
Pituitary tumours 84
Diagnosis 84
Treatment 85
Hypopituitarism 85
43 Growth disorders and acromegaly 86
Normal growth 86
Growth hormone insufficiency 86
Tests of growth hormone insufficiency 86
Treatment 86
Excessive growth 86
Acromegaly 87
Diagnosis 87
Treatment 87
44 Thyroid pathophysiology 88
Goitre 88
Thyroid hormone action 88
Binding in plasma 88
Regulation of thyroid hormone secretion 88
Thyroid function tests 88
Drugs and the thyroid 89
45 Hypothyroidism 90
Clinical features 90
Causes 90
Diagnosis 90
Treatment 90
Screening for neonatal hypothyroidism 91
Non-thyroidal illness 91
46 Hyperthyroidism 92
Clinical features 92
Causes 92
Diagnosis 92
Treatment 93
Thyroid eye disease 93
47 Adrenocortical pathophysiology 94
Cortisol 94
Adrenal androgens 94
Assessing the function of the HPA axis 94
Aldosterone 94
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia 94
Relationship of adrenal cortex and medulla 95
48 Hypofunction of the adrenal cortex 96
Adrenal insufficiency 96
Clinical features 96
Pathogenesis 96
Diagnosis 96
Random cortisol 96
Synacthen tests 96
Causes of adrenal insufficiency 97
Relative adrenal insufficiency 97
49 Hyperfunction of the adrenal cortex 98
Cortisol excess 98
Confirming the diagnosis 98
Overnight dexamethasone suppression test 98
Determining the cause 98
Plasma ACTH 98
DST 98
Androgen excess 98
Aldosterone excess 99
50 Gonadal function 100
Sex steroid hormones 100
Hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis 100
Male gonadal function 100
Disorders of male sex hormones 100
Disorders of male sexual differentiation 100
Female gonadal function 100
Disorders of female sex hormones 100
The androgen screen in women 100
51 Subfertility 102
Endocrine investigations in the subfertile woman 102
Endocrine investigations in the subfertile man 102
4 Specialised investigations 103
52 Nutritional assessment 104
History 104
Examination 104
Biochemistry 104
Preoperative nutritional assessment 105
53 Nutritional support 106
What do patients need? 106
Energy 106
Nitrogen 107
Fluid 107
Vitamins and trace elements 107
How should they receive nutrition? 107
Monitoring patients 107
54 Parenteral nutrition 108
Indications for parenteral nutrition 108
Route of administration 108
Components of TPN 108
Complications 108
Monitoring patients on TPN 109
55 The metabolic response to injury 110
The phases of the metabolic response to injury 110
The acute phase protein response 110
Clinical uses 111
Starvation and the metabolic response to injury 111
56 Gastrointestinal disorders 112
Physiology of digestion and absorption 112
Malabsorption 112
Gastrointestinal disorders 112
Gastro-oesophageal 112
Pancreas 113
Small intestine 113
Inflammatory bowel disease 113
Malignant disease 113
57 Iron 114
Iron physiology 114
Laboratory investigation of iron disorders 114
Iron deficiency 114
Treatment 114
Iron overload 115
Haemochromatosis 115
Iron poisoning 115
58 Zinc and copper 116
Zinc 116
Zinc physiology 116
Zinc deficiency 116
Zinc toxicity 116
Laboratory assessment 116
Copper 116
Copper physiology 116
Copper deficiency 116
Copper toxicity 116
Laboratory assessment 117
Inborn errors of copper metabolism 117
Wilson’s disease 117
59 Therapeutic drug monitoring 118
Sampling for TDM 118
Interpretation of drug levels 118
Drug interactions 119
Pharmacokinetics 119
60 Toxicology 120
Confirming poisoning 120
Measurement of drug levels 120
Treatment 120
Common causes of poisoning 120
Chronic poisoning 121
61 Metal poisoning 122
Metals associated with poisoning 122
Diagnosis 122
Treatment 122
Common sources 122
Lead 122
Mercury 123
Aluminium 123
Arsenic 123
Cadmium 123
Cobalt and chromium 123
62 Alcohol 124
Metabolism of ethanol 124
Acute alcohol poisoning 124
Chronic alcohol abuse 124
Diagnosis of chronic alcohol abuse 125
63 Ascites 126
Peritonitis 126
Early detection 126
SBP or secondary infection 126
Microbiology 126
Malignant ascites 127
Malignant or benign 127
Other 127
Sample requirements 127
64 Pleural fluid 128
Transudate or exudate? 128
Is it empyema? 128
Is it malignant? 129
Is it chyle? 129
Is it tuberculosis? 129
65 Cerebrospinal fluid 130
Lumbar puncture 130
Subarachnoid haemorrhage 130
Xanthochromia 130
Meningitis 130
Inherited metabolic disorders 130
Other conditions 131
Dementia 131
66 Identification of body fluids 132
Cerebrospinal fluid 132
Lymph and chyle 132
Urine 133
Other 133
Amniotic fluid 133
Synovial fluid 133
67 Lipoprotein metabolism 134
Nomenclature 134
Metabolism 134
The exogenous lipid cycle 134
The endogenous lipid cycle 134
Apolipoproteins 134
The LDL receptor 134
68 Clinical disorders of lipid metabolism 136
Classification 136
Primary 136
Secondary 136
Atherogenic profiles 136
69 Hypertension 138
Causes of hypertension 138
Treatment of hypertension 139
70 Cancer and its consequences 140
Local effects of tumours 140
Cancer cachexia 140
Paraneoplastic syndromes and ectopic hormone production 141
Consequences of cancer treatment 141
71 Tumour markers 142
The use of tumour markers 142
Monitoring treatment 142
Assessing follow-up 142
Diagnosis 142
Prognosis 142
Screening for the presence of disease 142
A practical application of tumour markers 142
Tumour markers with established clinical value 143
The future 143
72 Multiple endocrine neoplasia 144
MEN 1 144
MEN 2 144
MEN 2A 144
MEN 2B 144
Familial medullary carcinoma of the thyroid 144
Screening and treatment 144
The APUD concept 144
Carcinoid tumours 145
Insulinomas 145
Others 145
73 Hyperuricaemia 146
Urate formation and excretion 146
Lesch–Nyhan syndrome 146
Gout 146
Treatment 146
Renal disease and hyperuricaemia 146
Urate in pregnancy 146
74 Myopathy 148
Muscle weakness 148
Investigation 148
Rhabdomyolysis 148
Investigation and treatment 149
Duchenne muscular dystrophy 149
75 Fetal monitoring and prenatal diagnosis 150
HCG 150
Fetoplacental function 150
Prenatal diagnosis 150
Alpha-fetoprotein 150
Bilirubin 151
Fetal blood gases 151
76 Pregnancy 152
Maternal physiology 152
Weight gain 152
Respiratory function 152
Renal function 152
Carbohydrate metabolism 152
Protein metabolism 152
Hormonal changes 152
Pregnancy-associated pathology 152
Gestational diabetes 152
Hypertension 153
Obstetric cholestasis 153
Drugs in pregnancy 153
77 Antenatal screening 154
Overview of screening programmes 154
Screening for Down syndrome 154
First-trimester screening 154
Nuchal translucency 154
Biochemical tests 154
Risk calculation 154
5 Case history comments 163
82 Case history comments 164
Case history 1 164
Case history 2 164
Case history 3 164
Case history 4 164
Case history 5 164
Case history 6 164
Case history 7 164
Case history 8 164
Case history 9 165
Case history 10 165
Case history 11 165
Case history 12 165
Case history 13 165
Case history 14 165
Case history 15 165
Case history 16 165
Case history 17 166
Case history 18 166
Case history 19 166
Case history 20 166
Case history 21 166
Case history 22 166
Case history 23 166
Case history 24 166
Case history 25 166
Case history 26 166
Case history 27 167
Case history 28 167
Case history 29 167
Case history 30 167
Case history 31 167
Case history 32 167
Case history 33 167
Case history 34 167
Case history 35 167
Case history 36 168
Case history 37 168
Case history 38 168
Case history 39 168
Case history 40 168
Case history 41 168
Case history 42 168
Case history 43 168
Case history 44 169
Case history 45 169
Case history 46 169
Case history 47 169
Case history 48 169
Case history 49 169
Case history 50 169
Case history 51 169
Case history 52 169
Case history 53 170
Case history 54 170
Case history 55 170
Case history 56 170
Case history 57 170
Case history 58 170
Case history 59 170
Case history 60 170
Index 171
A 171
B 172
C 172
D 173
E 173
F 173
G 174
H 174
I 175
J 175
K 175
L 175
M 176
N 176
O 177
P 177
Q 177
R 178
S 178
T 178
U 179
V 179
W 179
X 179
Z 179
Inside Back Cover ibc1