Re: Questions for Dr. Chung

In article <Xns991D839227E65ccoughranucsdedu@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Charly
Coughran <ccoughran@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Jason@xxxxxxxxxx (Jason) wrote in
news:Jason-2504071155510001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

In article <Xns991D60310CCE2ccoughranucsdedu@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Charly
Coughran <ccoughran@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Jason@xxxxxxxxxx (Jason) wrote in
news:Jason-2404071452310001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

Doctor Chung,

I have some questions re: to my latest blood test and urine test.


Reference ranges were listed on the blood test form for all items
except for these three items. Please check the PDR or other
reference books and list the standand reference ranges for these
three items:

This was NOT a 24 hour urine test--it was a spot test of urine.
urine sodium
urine potassium
urine chloride

Please comment on these results:
serum sodium 140 (135-145)
serum potassium 3.7 (3.5-5.1)
serum chloride 103 (98-107)

This was NOT a 24 hour urine electrolyte test--It was a spot test
of urine. urine sodium 20
urine potassium 25.3
urine chloride 26

TSH 7.56 high (0.27-4.2)

Differential
Eosinophils 6.5 high (0-4)

I found this quote in a book:

"Urine sodium concentration is useful in determining the cause of
hyponatremia. Urine sodium <20 mEq/L reflects sodium conservation
by the kidneys and is found in ECFV depletion and edematous
states CHF, nephrotic syndrome and cirrhosis."

I would appreciate your comments,
Jason



Published average reference ranges are useless in interpreting most
lab tests because there are inter lab variations of materials,
methods, and other circumstances. That is why they have reference
ranges printed with the results.

Further, lab tests cannot be interpreted in the absence of an exam
and a clinical history. For example, aspirin can affect TSH
results and a definitive interpretation would require T3 and T4
results as well.

Last, since the normal range is usually defined as + or - 2
standard deviations from the normal population mean, 95.4% of the
normal population is classified as having a value in the normal
range. This means that 2.3% of the normal population will test
slightly high and an equal number will test slightly low. If you
have a lab panel with a pile of tests, you become likely to be
slightly out of range on a test or two even if you are normal.

The disclaimers having been presented, you can get a wealth of
general information on lab test results at

http://www.labtestsonline.org/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charly,
Thanks--I'll visit the site. My doctor ignores items on blood tests
and urine tests that are within the reference ranges. That is the
major reason that I wanted the reference ranges for urine sodium,
urine potassium and urine chloride. If you have that info. in one of
your reference books, please post that information. I was not able
to find that info. in any website. I hope that the website that you
mentioned above has that information.
Thanks again,
jason

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Let me reiterate. If you are given a standard reference value out of
some reference book, you will know no more than you do right now. If
you dig around the net, you can find a published normal range for
almost any test. That value will do you no good. Absent the normal
range for the laboratory which actually did the test, you cannot
interpret the test.

If you really feel compelled to chase meaningless numbers, a standard
reference in the field is _Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and
Molecular Diagnostics_. If there is a med school near you, their
library will have a copy. This is an area in which I would not trust
online sources.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charly,
You are correct. My problem is that there was NOT a reference range for
urine sodium, urine potassium and urine chloride on the blood test form
that I obtained from the hospital lab. office. Many doctors have various
lab handbooks and the PDR to find out the standard reference ranges. Those
reference ranges obtained from reference books are better than nothing. I
was hoping to find that information on the web but I was not successful. I
posted in three different medical newsgroups and not a single person
provided the reference ranges. There are no medical colleges in my city. I
challenge you or anyone else to find the reference ranges for those three
items. I visited this website:

http://www.labtestsonline.org/

The reference ranges for urine sodium, urine potassium and urine chloride
were NOT listed at that website.

The only thing that I found was this quotation from one of my reference
books that was written by a doctor.

"Urine sodium <20 MMOL/L reflects sodium conservation by the kidneys and
is found in ECFV depletion and the edematous states CHF, nephrotic
snydrome and cirrhoisis."

The Urine Sodium level on my latest urine test was 20 MMOL/L.

Jason
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Questions for Dr. Chung
    ... to list the reference ranges for urine sodium, ... It's my understanding that many labs use this book to determine ... potassium or urine chloride. ...
    (misc.health.diabetes)
  • Re: Questions for Dr. Chung
    ... to my latest blood test and urine test. ... Reference ranges were listed on the blood test form for all items ... lab tests because there are inter lab variations of materials, ...
    (misc.health.diabetes)
  • Questions for Doctor or Med Tech
    ... I had another blood test last week. ... urine potassium ... urine chloride 26 ... I done a google search but was not able to find the reference ranges for ...
    (sci.med)
  • Re: Questions for Dr. Chung
    ... to my latest blood test and urine test. ... Reference ranges were listed on the blood test form for all items ... lab tests because there are inter lab variations of materials, ...
    (misc.health.diabetes)
  • Question about lab results
    ... to my latest blood test and urine test. ... Reference ranges were listed on the blood test form for all items except ...
    (sci.med.pathology)