BUN ({*filter*} urea nitrogen) and creatinine are nitrogenous wastes cleared
by the kidneys. Accordingly, someone with kidney failure has increased
values.

Bilirubin is the pigment produced by the normal breakdown of hemoglobin.
It is the liver's job to dispose of the bilirubin by shooting it out
through the bile ducts into the duodenum. When the liver is not
functioning properly, or when the bile ducts are blocked, the level of
bilirubin in the {*filter*} goes up. Another cause of increased bilirubin is
when red {*filter*} cells are destroyed too fast, causing bilirubin to be
produced more rapidly than even what a normal liver can deal with.

AST (aspartate aminotransferase) and ALT (alanine aminotransferase) are
enzymes normally found in liver cells. When liver cells are destroyed, as
by hepatitis or by toxic damage (e.g., {*filter*} abuse), these enzymes are
liberated into the {*filter*}, where the lab can measure them as elevated
values.

GGT (gamma-glutamyl transferase) is produced by the cells lining the bile
ducts, if the ducts are blocked. Elevated GGT means either liver disease
or blockage of a larger duct by a tumor or gallstone.

Triglycerides are regular old fat, like on a steak. Increased {*filter*}
levels are not very important, except when they are realy high (>500
mg/dL), in which case they may represent an increased risk for coronary
heart disease.

The urinalysis is mostly to look for abnormal numbers of {*filter*} cells and
casts in the urine. Casts are formed in the kidney and are something like
Jello with bits of fruit in it, poured into a mold, and gelled. In renal
casts, the jello is protein, and the fruit is cells shed into the urine.
Some kinds of casts are benign, while others are indicative of certain
kidney diseases.

The urine specific gravity is not of much use, unless the clinical
condition of the patient's water status is known. If you haven't had
any water to drink for a long time, the kidney can concentrate the urine
all the way up to a specific gravity of 1.030. If you've had beaucoups of
water, the kidney will dilute the urine to a specific gravity below
1.010. If you have had nothing to drink in 12 hours, and the urine is
still dilute (low specific gravity), then there is a problem with urine
concentration. This may be caused by a kidney problem, or by a hormone
problem.

I have no idea what "Continine Content" is. Maybe someone else can help,
us out on that one.

Ed Uthman, MD
Pathologist
Houston/Richmond, TX, USA

  {*filter*} CHEMISTRY/IMMUNOLOGY        |       URINALYSYS
                                    |  
Test  Name                Results   |   Test Name               Results
                                    |
                                    |
Fructosamine             1.7 mmol/L | Specific Gravity          1.0
BUN                      14  mg/dl  | White {*filter*} Cells         0 /HPF
Creatinine               0.9 mg/dl  | Red     "     "           0 /HPF
Alkaline Phosphate       84  U/L    | Granular Casts            0 /40 LPF
Total Bilirubin          0.4 mg/dl  | Hyaline Casts             0 /40 LPF
AST (SGOT)               33  U/L    | Continine Content         0.03
ALT (SGPT)               46  U/L    | Comment: Chain of custody appears
GGT                      28  U/L    |          to be intact.
Triglycerides            72  mg/dl  |

I know what the volume abbreviations mean and all were withis insurance
company specs but I have no idea what some of these items are.

Tony

                           mmol/L    mg/dL

NZ Schools of Medicine     < 1.5      131     Desirable level

Kenneth Cooper, USA        < 1.27     111     Desirable level
                           > 1.77     155     High risk
                           > 2.35     207     Very high risk

Reference:

CONTROLLING CHOLESTEROL
Kenneth H. Cooper, M.D., M.P.H.
Bantam Books 1989
ISBN 0-553-27775-8

Bye,

BTW, don't take anything I or anyone say about this as gospel, because
there tends to be a lot of disagreement among physicians on this.

Ed Uthman, MD
Pathologist
Houston/Richmond, TX, USA

Andrew

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regards,
Chris Lawson

--

__________________________________________________________________________
--

__________________________________________________________________________

I'm not familiar with all, but ..

BUN and Creatinine are concerned with kidney function
Bilirubin,ast,alt,ggt are liver function
Triglycerides are fats? in the {*filter*}
SPecific gravity, white {*filter*} cells, red bc are urine tests

Glad to hear they are all within normal range, sorry I cant help with the others

Ken Ginsberg

Ed Uthman, MD
Pathologist
Houston/Richmond, TX, USA

Kenneth Gorelick, M.D., F.C.C.P.

- Cecilia De Blasi
  med student III

--

You are right.  Cotinine is metabolic product of nicotine.

Seems like a strange test to do routinely on patients.  Who is paying
the bill for this?

Jim

phillip

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