Abstract Background Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is the traditional term used for the activity of measuring drug concentrations to tailor the dose of the medication to an individual. The use of monitored drug therapy is generally reserved for drugs with…
Abstract Background The porphyrias are a group of rare, mainly inherited metabolic disorders that result from decreased or, in one rare form of erythropoietic protoporphyria, increased, activities of the enzymes of heme biosynthesis. Each porphyria is defined by the association…
Abstract Background Iron plays an essential role in many biochemical processes, in particular in the production of heme for incorporation in hemoglobin and iron-sulfur clusters, which serve as enzyme cofactors. Measurement of iron and other indicators of body iron are…
Abstract Background An adequate supply of vitamins and trace elements is critical in maintaining optimum health. Measurements of vitamin and trace element concentrations are frequently helpful in nutritional assessment and may be a requisite in suspected deficiency or toxicity, and…
Abstract Background Hormones are a diverse group of compounds that circulate in body fluids at very low and variable concentrations. Hormones perform important signaling and communication roles between cells and tissues of the body. Accurate measurement of hormone concentrations in…
Abstract Background Electrolyte balance within the human body is essential for maintenance of health. Dysregulation of electrolytes affects water homeostasis and acid-base status and often results in overt clinical signs and symptoms. The laboratory is tasked with aiding the clinician…
Abstract Lipids are essential sources of energy, structural components of cell membranes, and precursors of hormones, vitamins, and bile acids. Some of them are important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD). Notably, cholesterol in low-density lipoproteins (LDL cholesterol)…
Abstract Background Carbohydrates are widely distributed in plants and animals. They perform numerous functions, ranging from structural components of deoxyribonucleic acid to serving as sources of energy. Glucose is derived from breakdown of carbohydrates in the diet and in body…
Abstract Background The functional unit of the kidney is the nephron. Because glomerular filtration is the initiating phase of all nephron functions, quantitative or qualitative assessment of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), or some variable that bears a reasonably constant…
Abstract Background Tumor markers are substances present in and produced by a tumor or produced by the host in response to a tumor. Measured qualitatively or quantitatively by chemical, immunologic, genomic, or proteomic methods, tumor markers can be used to…