Question

An obese 29?year?old female was seen in the general internal medicine clinic for hypotension. There was no other significant medial history. Her laboratory results are as follows: Total protein 6.1 g/dL Albumin <1.0 g/dL   Creatinine 0.40 mg/dL Na 140 mmol/L K   3.6 mmol/L Cl   106 mmol/L Glucose 85 mg/dL Liver enzymes were normal. Urinalysis: normal Serum Protein Electrophoresis Lane A – Normal Control Serum Lane B – Patient’s Serum        A                 B 18US MLSC 4051: Clinical Chemistry 3 1.   What is the most striking abnormal laboratory result in this patient? (0.5 pt) 2.   List at least two acquired reasons for this abnormal result.  State whether either could be the cause of the abnormal result in this case. Explain your reasoning for this decision.  (3 pts) 3.   What is the patient’s most likely diagnosis?

Answer 1

1. The most striking abnormal result in this patient is very low levels of albumins. Albumin tested <3.4g/dL is low. It must be above this value.

2. The two acquired reasons for this abnormal result can be due to insufficient nutrients or malnutrituon. The other reason would be problems with the stomach such as disorders with bowel which results in huge loss of albumin. And also dysfunction of kidneys which leaks albumin in the urine.

The cause could be due to kidney disorders. Because this patient is tested for hypotension which is caused due to loss of body fluids because if illness. And the kidney dysfunction results in loss or excretion of albumin from the body in the form of urine and reduces the levels of albumin in the body.

3. The patient most likely diagnosed to have Hypoalbuminemia and kidney dysfunction.