AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

assegnare le unità di misura corrette ai valori dei diversi parametri misurati.The main purpose of this part of the class is to provide tools suitable to allow the student to understand the link between the new scientific  knowledges on human  metabolism regulation, enzymology, mechanism of action of local and systemic cell signaling, control of acid/base equilibria, and the continuous development of the Clinical Biochemistry. The student will be informed about the criteria for the selection of new markers of function and tissue damage that can be assayed to improve the diagnostics, the prognostics e the follow up of therapies. The limits of the markers used at present in the clinical labs, the problems of cost/benefit ratio associated to the selection of markers with improved specificity or sensitivity will be also discussed. Hence an interactive discussion about the clinical significance of the  parameters assayed at present will be focused mainly on the liver, lung, muscle, pancreas and kydney biochemistry. The problems to be solved to obtain further  improvement of validated techniques and  methods in the clinical lab will be also discussed. The outcomes of Clinical Biochemistry learning, well integrated with other classes, should help the student to acquire awareness about the importance of this discipline, its rapid evolution and the need of a continuous professional up-grading to cope the challenges that he will face in his profession. Specifically at the end of this class, the student will be able to to describe, using technically corrected scientific terms, the types of routine assays carried out in the clinical labs to detect altered parameters in different human pathologies; he will be able to associate the selection of a specific marker assayed with the biochemical characteristics of a cell phenotype; he will be able to identify the units utilized for the markers measured (renal clearance, pH, pO2 or CO2, units of enzyme activity, different expression of concentration, % of HbA1c, and so on).

TEACHING METHODS

The teacher presents and comment on a series of pictures that show different issues of Clinical Biochemistry. The student can find the same material on the Aulaweb platform at the University of Genova.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Clinical Biochemistry: clinical informations that could be obtained from altered  electrolytic and acid/base equilibria. Markers of dysregulation of function and of tissue damage: release of intracellular enzymes.  Glycemic profile: criteria for evaluating the occurrence and progression of diabetes mellitus; ematochemical and urinary parameters in diabetic ketoacidosis and in the  hypoglycemic coma. Curve of oral glucose loading, glycated haemoglobin. Nitrogen non protein compounds  of blood serum and  indications provided by alteration of their normal hematic  concentration: urea,  uric acid, creatinine, creatine, ammonium.  Hepatic functions and differential  biochemical alterations in various types of hepatic disease; bilirubine, transaminases. Acute ande chronic pancreatitis  and possible specific markers. Markers and tests  of renal functionality. Clearance  of creatinine; micro e macroalbuminuria.  Clinical meaning of alteration of biochemical urinary parameters.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Biochimica clinica by Allan Gaw, Michael J. Murphy, Robert A. Cowan, M. Lobello, L. Rossi- Elsevier Editor 

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARIO PASSALACQUA (President)

BIANCA SPARATORE (President)

ELISABETTA FRATERNALE

LAURA MARCOMINI

LESSONS

Class schedule

CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY

EXAMS

Exam schedule