OVERVIEW

Clinical biochemistry is the area of clinical pathology that is generally concerned with analysis of bodily fluids for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. 

AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Clinical biochemistry studies the meaning of laboratory tests in diagnostics, prognostics, confirmation of the effectiveness of therapy and as a means of screening for certain diseases.  Through this course the student will learn the normal values of the principal laboratory tests that explore the function of organs and tissues, the unit of measurement in which they are expressed and the main diseases that cause their alteration. At the end of the course the student will be able to use the information received to interpret for diagnostic purposes the deviation from the average of the values of the main laboratory tests and will be able to evaluate the information that these tests may reveal regarding diseases of specific organs or functions, in particular in pathological conditions related to nutrition.

TEACHING METHODS

Plenary Lectures (online) covering the entire program of the course.

During the lessons, the "normal" range of the common clinical chemistry values will be provided, the clinical significance of alterations of organ- or tissue-specific parameters will be discussed and simple clinical cases will be presented, allowing the students to put into practice this information in a diagnostic reasoning.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

1-Blood. Generalities on laboratory tests. The clinical-chemistry profile: blood count, electrophoretic profile, serum iron, serum enzymes, serum nitrogen compounds, coagulation tests, critical values.

2- Endocrinology. Methods of hormones assay. Thyroid function tests. Subclinical hypo- and hyperthyroidism. Generalities on other hormones and tests that explore the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.

3- Metabolism. Diabetes mellitus: criteria for the diagnosis of prediabetes, T1D, T2D and gestational diabetes. Dyslipidemias: lipidogram, cardiovascular risk stratification criteria, desirable lipidemic values.

4- Inflammation. Serum markers of inflammation, chronic inflammatory bowel disease. The microbiota. Diagnostic strategies in infections.

5- Renal function tests. Notes on renal control of hydro-electrolytic balance and function of the various parts of the nephron. The chemical-physical examination of the urine. The microscopic examination of the urine sediment. Glomerular and tubular function tests.

6- Hepatic function tests. Serum enzymes and other indicators of hepatocellular function. Lab diagnosis of alcohol abuse. Differential diagnosis of jaundice. Laboratory diagnosis of viral hepatitis.

7- Pancreas and digestive pathologies. Pancreatic function tests. Lab tests in gastro-intestinal diseases (breath test, fecal blood test, celiac disease, Crohn's disease). Lab tests in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. Nutritional markers.

8- Cardiovascular. Lab markers of myocardial infarction. Cardiovascular risk markers. Notes on guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

9- The human microbiota. Generalities, functions, mechanisms through which dysbiosis can cause disease. Methods of studying the microbiota.

10- Haemogasanalysis. Normal values. Hyper- and hypocapnia; hypoxemia; acid-base balance in the blood: buffer systems, respiratory and renal control. Metabolic and respiratory acidosis and alkalosis; definition and hints on compensation mechanisms.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

FEDERICA BARBIERI

CONSUELO BORGARELLI

FRANCESCA BRUZZONE

SUSANNA PENCO

LAURA STURLA

ELENA ZOCCHI

ILARIA DEMORI (President and Coordinator of Integrated Course)

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral exam. Students should pass in the same day all subjects included in the Course

 The final score will include all subjects

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The assessment takes place only through the final exam which aims to ensure the effective acquisition by the student of the expected learning outcomes.

Exam evaluation will take into account knowledge, presentation/speaking skills, as well as the ability to connect the different fields covered by the course.

In particular, the clinical biochemistry exam will be a written, multiple choice test, where the questions will explore whether the student has acquired knowledge of the "normal" range of the commonly used laboratory test, can identify abnormal values suggestive of specific organ or tissue disease and can apply the results of clinical chemistry tests to simple diagnostic reasoning.

Exam schedule