Blood Investigations

Full Blood Examination (FBE)

Constituents   Haemoglobin (Hb)   Anaemia Polycythemia Mean Cell Volume (MCV)   Microcytosis Mactocytosis Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)   Hypochromia Hyperchromia Platelets (MPV)   Thrombocytopenia Thrombocytosis Leukocytes (WBC)   Leukocytosis Leukopenia Anaemia   Iron deficiency anaemia   Hb MCV MCHC Thalassaemia   Hb MCV MCHC B12 / Folate deficiency   Hb     Anaemia of chronic disease

Blood Film

Davidson's page 747           Howell - Jolly bodies   Deformed erythrocyte sediments - usually following splenic trauma

Plasma Urea & Electrolytes (U&E)

Arterial Blood Gases (ABG)

PaO2 = respiratory failure   N, PaCO2 = Type 1 PaCO2 = Type 2             FI02   Inspired air concentration (21% = room air)   pH   Acidaemia Alkalaemia   PaCO2   Hypocapnia, implying hyperventilation Hypercapnia, implying hypoventilation   PaO2   Hypoxaemia = respiratory failure     HCO3       Base Excess

Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)

Raised   Inflammation Infection Myeloma Hodgkin's Disease Connective Tissue Disorders Anaemia Reduced   Congestive Cardiac Failure (CCF) Polycythemia

C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

Acute phase reactant Results   Raised   Inflammation Infection Myeloma Hodgkin's Disease Connective Tissue Disorders

Liver Function Test (LFT)

Constituents   Albumin   Hepatitic diseases, as liver doesn't synthesise adequately Bilirubin   Hepatitic and Cholestatic diseases, or haemolysis Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)   Obstructive (Cholestatic) diseases Transaminases (AST / ALT)   Parenchymal (Hepatitic) diseases Gamma Glutamytranspeptidase (GGT)   Obstructive (Cholestatic) disease, and Alcoholic hepatitis Results   Parenchymal (Hepatitic) Disease pattern   Albumin Bilirubin ALP AST / ALT GGT Obstructive (Cholestatic) Disease pattern   Albumin N Bilirubin ALP AST / ALT GGT

Blood Sugar Level (BSL)

Thyroid Function Test (TFT)

Euthyroid   N Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) N Thyroxine (T4) Hyperthyroidism   TSH T4 Hypothyroidism   TSH T4

Serum Amylase & Lipase

Amylase   Pancreatitis, perforated duodenal ulcer, cholecystitis, ischaemic bowel, ectopic pregnancy, Lipase   Specific to pancreas Pancreatitis

Iron Studies

Iron Deficiency Anaemia   Iron Transferrin (Total Iron Binding Capacity) Saturation Ferittin Ferittin is also an acute phase reactant

International Normalised Ratio (INR) / Prothrombin Time (PT)

Davidson's - pg 748

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)

Serum Calcium & Phosphate

Serum ß-hCG

Rheumatoid Factor (RF)

An immunoglobulin directed against the Fc portion of IgG. Elevated   Autoimmune and connective tissue diseases   Rheumatoid arthritis Sjogren's syndrome Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Progressive Systemic Sclerosis Fibrosing alveolitis Hepatic cirrhosis Sarcoidosis Chronic Infections   Infectious mononucleosis Hepatitis Bacterial endocarditis Tuberculosis Syphilis

Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA)

Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies (ANCA)

Antibodies to proteinase 3 (c-ANCA) Antibodies to myeloperoxidase (p-ANCA) Elevated   Vasculitis Idiopathic glomerulonephritis Wegener's granulomatosis

Coagulation Studies

INR Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT)       Davidson's - pg 748