Clinical Chemistry & Biochemical Analysis Flashcards

Which enzyme is most commonly measured to assess liver cell damage (hepatocellular injury)?

Answer: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)

ALT is predominantly found in liver cells and is highly specific for hepatocellular injury, making it the primary marker for liver damage.

A patient's serum glucose result is 52 mg/dL. Which condition does this value indicate?

Answer: Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is defined as blood glucose below 70 mg/dL; a value of 52 mg/dL clearly falls into this range.

Which specimen tube is most appropriate for serum chemistry panels?

Answer: Red or gold top (SST)

Red or gold (SST) tubes allow blood to clot and yield serum after centrifugation, which is the standard specimen for most serum chemistry panels.

The Jaffe reaction is used in the clinical laboratory to measure which analyte?

Answer: Creatinine

The Jaffe reaction involves creatinine reacting with alkaline picrate to form an orange-red complex that is measured colorimetrically.

Which lipoprotein is considered cardioprotective and is often called 'good cholesterol'?

Answer: High-density lipoprotein (HDL)

HDL transports cholesterol from peripheral tissues back to the liver for excretion, a process associated with reduced cardiovascular risk.

A serum sodium value of 128 mEq/L would be reported as which electrolyte abnormality?

Answer: Hyponatremia

The normal serum sodium range is 136–145 mEq/L; a value of 128 mEq/L is below this range, indicating hyponatremia.

In a glucose tolerance test (GTT), which two-hour post-load plasma glucose value is diagnostic of diabetes mellitus according to ADA criteria?

Answer: ≥200 mg/dL

The ADA defines a 2-hour post-load plasma glucose of ≥200 mg/dL during an OGTT as diagnostic of diabetes mellitus.