CODE 107034 ACADEMIC YEAR 2021/2022 CREDITS 2 cfu anno 3 SCIENZE BIOLOGICHE 8762 (L-13) - GENOVA SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINARY SECTOR BIO/12 TEACHING LOCATION GENOVA SEMESTER 2° Semester TEACHING MATERIALS AULAWEB OVERVIEW Clinical biochemistry studies the clinical significance of laboratory tests. During the course we will systematically address the study of laboratory medicine of the main organs and functions, which is a key part of the diagnostic reasoning process. AIMS AND CONTENT LEARNING OUTCOMES The aim of the clinical biochemistry part of the course is to allow the student to acquire basic knowledge on the clinical-diagnostic significance of the laboratory tests of the “clinical chemistry profile” and of specific organs/functions. This knowledge will be applied to the discussion of simple case-studies, allowing the students to put into practice the basic knowledge acquired and test their understanding of laboratory tests. PREREQUISITES Biochemistry and physiology TEACHING METHODS Face-to-face or video-recorded lessons (in presence), available on aulaweb Please refer to the AulaWeb instance specific to the teaching for any updates due to changes in the health and epidemiological situation. SYLLABUS/CONTENT 1-BLOOD The complete blood count Electrophoretic profile of serum proteins and its diagnostic interpretation Principal serum enzymes of diagnostic interest Non-protein nitrogen Iron metabolism, quantitative and qualitative defects of hemoglobin Electrolytes Morphological and pathognetic classification of anemias 2-LIVER FUNCTION TESTS Enzymes, bilirubin and jaundice, modifications of serum proteins in selected liver diseases, coagulation factors, diagnosis of selected liver diseases 3-GLUCOSE METABOLISM Hormones regulating glycemia Causes of hyper- and hypo-glycemia Lab tests in diabetes mellitus Lab tests in chetoacidosis, glucose tolerance test, gestational diabetes. 4-LIPID METABOLISM Lipoprotein classification and function Reference values for blood lipids Hyperlipidemic profiles and cardiovascular risk 5-URINE ANALYSIS AND TESTS OF RENAL FUNCTION The physical-chemical urineanalysis Renal functional tests: indicators of glomerular and tubular malfunction 6-TESTS FOR ENDOCRINE DISORDERS Steroid, peptide and aminoacid-derived hormones: basal levels and pathologic conditions of hyper/hypo-secretion Lab tests in the diagnosis of endocrinological disorders 7- HEART Markers of myocardial necrosis and ischemia Markers of heart failure 8-TESTS OF PANCREATIC FUNCTION 9-ARTERIAL BLOOD GASES AND ACID-BASE BALANCE 10-INFLAMMATION Common markers of inflammation Specific markers of inflammation for selected (auto)inflammatory and autoimmune diseases RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY on-line available (aula web) slides Common laboratory tests - Vaughn G. Appleton & Lange TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD ELENA ZOCCHI Ricevimento: On-demand tutorials and questions, either in presence (at DIMES, Sez. Biochimica, Viale Benedetto XV 1, 1st floor) or via the Teams platform, by appointment (ezocchi@unige.it). Exam Board ELENA ZOCCHI (President) SANTINA BRUZZONE LESSONS Class schedule ELEMENTS OF CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY EXAMS EXAM DESCRIPTION The examination will consist of a written test (multiple-choice quiz) or an oral interview, in line with the University's regulations regarding anti-covid safety standards. Please refer to the AulaWeb instance specific to the teaching for any updates due to changes in the health and epidemiological situation. ASSESSMENT METHODS The exam will verify the achievement of the formative objectives; in particular, it will ascertain the student's knowledge of the clinical meaning of the biochemical-clinical parameters presented during the lessons, of the unit of measure in which they are expressed and of their dynamic range in the main pathologies for which they represent a diagnostic-prognostic tool. The ability to choose, among some proposed tests, those suitable to solve a specific diagnostic question, and the ability to identify deviations from the norm indicative of pathology, will be evaluated.
