1st order laboratory parameters – obligatory laboratory tests.
- Small blood count
- Inflammatory parameters – CRP (C-reactive protein) or ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate).
- Urine status (rapid test for: Nitrite, protein, hemoglobin, erythrocytes, leukocytes, urobilinogen) incl. sediment, if necessary urine culture (pathogen detection and resistogram, that is, testing of suitable antibiotics for sensitivity / resistance).
- Electrolytes – calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphate.
- Fasting glucose (fasting blood glucose), if necessary oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT).
- HbA1c,
- Thyroid parameters – TSH
- Pancreatic parameters – amylase, elastase (in serum and stool), lipase.
- Liver parameters – alanine aminotransferase (ALT, GPT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST, GOT), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT, GGT).
- LDL
- Renal parameters – urea, creatinine, cystatin C or creatinine clearance, if applicable; also evidence of microalbuminuria, if applicable.
- Uric acid
- Total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides.
- Total protein, albumin
- Test for occult (non-visible) blood in stool.
Laboratory parameters 2nd order – depending on the results of the history, physical examination, etc. – for differential diagnostic clarification.
- Creatinine coefficient (amount of creatinine excreted in urine in 24h/kg body mass; men: 20-26, women: 14-22) – for evaluation of nutritional status.
- HIV diagnostics
- TRH test, thyroid antibodies
- Rheumatism diagnostics – CRP (C-reactive protein) or BSG (blood sedimentation rate); rheumatoid factor (RF), CCP-AK (cyclic citrulline peptide antibodies), ANA (antinuclear antibodies).
- Vitamins – A, E, D, B12, folic acid.
- Minerals – magnesium, phosphate
- Trace element – zinc
- Cortisol, ACTH
- Intestinal flora analysis
- Tuberculin skin test (in this procedure, purified tuberculin is injected into the skin) or bacteriological examination (microscopic and cultural: sputum* , gastric juice, urine, lymph nodes, other tissue) or molecular genetic methods (Tbc-PCR).
- If necessary, further serological tests – if infectious diseases are suspected.
- Tumor markers – depending on the suspected diagnosis.
* Caution. Conventional tuberculosis tests for sputum fail in children.
Further notes
- Determination of urea–creatinine quotient (measure of protein catabolism/protein degradation) – see urea/azotemia (abnormal increase of nitrogenous end products of protein metabolism (residual nitrogen) in blood) below.
