what blood test to order?

[Edison]

---

Members don't see this ad.

What items should be included in a blood test in order to comprehensively assess the nutritional status of a patient? I can only think of HDL/LDL....

 

[idq1i]

What items should be included in a blood test in order to comprehensively assess the nutritional status of a patient? I can only think of HDL/LDL....

LFT (albumin)
Possibly prealbumin and transthyretin

 

[Ezekiel20]

What items should be included in a blood test in order to comprehensively assess the nutritional status of a patient? I can only think of HDL/LDL....

Fe, folate, B12, albumin, CBC (want Hb level, MCV), Ca, PO4 should be good additions to your list.

 

[Doc Ivy]

You may also want to look at ferritin, and do skin testing to evaluate for anergy (seen in severely malnourished patients). Total protein may help as well. Maybe urine for ketones but that is not as specific.

 

[obrn]

Complete Metabolic Profile

 

[D30417995]

serum albumin, transferrin, cholesterol, prealbumin, creatinine height index, etc.

 

[Nerdoscience]

PT/INR, PTT will also give you an idea of liver synthetic function, which is tied to nutritional status. Albumin and pre-albumin are good markers of overall nutritional status, each with a different time scale. Vitamin levels are good, as are an iron panel and a CBC, BCP. The lipid panel won't tell you too much. There are many factor involved in the lipids that have nothing to do with nutrition (exercise, genetics, endocrine status, etc...)

What exactly is the context?

 

[tupac_don]

What items should be included in a blood test in order to comprehensively assess the nutritional status of a patient? I can only think of HDL/LDL....

How about Albumin, I never heard of using HDL/LDL clinically to asses nutritional status though.

 

[Blade28]

I usually use albumin and prealbumin.

 

[debvz]

I usually use albumin and prealbumin.

Wow. Ordering the kitchen sink mentioned above is overkill ("creatinine height index", transthyretin, and skin anergy?!), and would cost a bundle.

I second the albumin and pre-albumin.

Metabolic cart may be useful in critical care setting.

 

[PharmD2MD]

Wow. Ordering the kitchen sink mentioned above is overkill ("creatinine height index", transthyretin, and skin anergy?!), and would cost a bundle.

I second the albumin and pre-albumin.

Metabolic cart may be useful in critical care setting.

The metabolic cart doesn't really assess nutritional status. It assesses energy consumption so you can tailor and balance your regimen.