Overview of Clinical Biochemistry

Overview of Clinical Biochemistry

• Clinical biochemistry is the branch of chemistry that focuses on the analysis of bodily fluids to diagnose and monitor diseases.
• It involves the study of metabolites, hormones, enzymes, and proteins in biological samples.

Key Components

1. Body Fluids Analyzed

   • Blood
   • Urine
   • Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
   • Saliva
   • Synovial fluid

2. Common Tests

   • Blood glucose levels
   • Liver function tests (ALT, AST, bilirubin)
   • Kidney function tests (creatinine, urea)
   • Lipid profile (cholesterol, triglycerides)
   • Electrolyte panels (sodium, potassium, chloride)

Importance

• Diagnosis: Identifies conditions such as diabetes, liver disease, and kidney dysfunction.
• Monitoring: Tracks disease progression and treatment effectiveness (e.g., diabetes management).
• Prognosis: Assists in predicting disease outcomes based on biochemical markers.

Metabolic Pathways

• Homeostasis regulation (e.g., glucose metabolism)
• Lipid metabolism and its relation to heart disease
• Protein metabolism and implications for renal function

Biochemical Markers

• Enzymes: Elevated or decreased levels indicate various diseases.
  • Example: Elevated troponin levels indicate myocardial infarction (heart attack).
• Hormones: Hormonal imbalances can diagnose endocrine disorders.
  • Example: Thyroid function tests (T3, T4, TSH) for thyroid disease.
• Proteins: Specific proteins serve as disease markers (e.g., C-reactive protein for inflammation).

Analytical Techniques

• Spectrophotometry: Measures concentration of chemical substances in a solution.
• Chromatography: Separates mixtures for analysis of individual components.
• Immunoassays: Utilizes antibodies for specific analyte detection (e.g., ELISA).

Quality Control

• Essential to ensure accurate, reliable test results.
• Involves calibration of instruments and control samples.

Emerging Trends

• Use of biomarkers for personalized medicine.
• Integration of genomics and proteomics in clinical biochemistry.
• Development of point-of-care testing for rapid diagnosis.

Clinical Biochemistry Overview

• Clinical biochemistry is the analysis of bodily fluids to diagnose and monitor diseases.
• It's the study of metabolites, hormones, enzymes, and proteins in biological samples.

Key Components

• Body Fluids Analyzed: Blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), saliva, synovial fluid.
• Common Tests:
  • Blood glucose levels for diabetes
  • Liver function tests (ALT, AST, bilirubin)
  • Kidney function tests (creatinine, urea)
  • Lipid profile (cholesterol, triglycerides)
  • Electrolyte panels (sodium, potassium, chloride)

Importance

• Diagnosis: Identifies conditions like diabetes, liver disease, and kidney dysfunction.
• Monitoring: Tracks disease progression and treatment effectiveness (e.g., diabetes management).
• Prognosis: Predicts disease outcomes based on biochemical markers.
• Metabolic Pathways:
  • Homeostasis regulation (e.g., glucose metabolism).
  • Lipid metabolism in relation to heart disease.
  • Protein metabolism impacting renal function.

Biochemical Markers

• Enzymes: Elevated or decreased levels indicate various diseases.
  • Example: Elevated troponin levels indicate myocardial infarction (heart attack).
• Hormones: Hormonal imbalances can diagnose endocrine disorders.
  • Example: Thyroid function tests (T3, T4, TSH) for thyroid disease.
• Proteins: Specific proteins act as disease markers (e.g., C-reactive protein for inflammation).

Analytical Techniques

• Spectrophotometry: Measures concentration of chemical substances in a solution.
• Chromatography: Separates mixtures for analysis of individual components.
• Immunoassays: Utilizes antibodies for specific analyte detection (e.g., ELISA).

Quality Control

• Ensures accurate, reliable test results.
• Involves calibration of instruments and control samples.

Emerging Trends

• Use of biomarkers for personalized medicine.
• Integration of genomics and proteomics in clinical biochemistry.
• Development of point-of-care testing for rapid diagnosis.