Luteinising hormone (LH) test is used to evaluate pituitary function, especially in terms of fertility problems.
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) test is used to evaluate pituitary function, especially in terms of fertility problems.
Oestradiol levels are used to evaluate ovarian function and to help diagnose the cause of precocious puberty in girls (very early signs of puberty) and gynaecomastia in men. Oestradiol (E2) is produced in women mainly in the ovary. In men, the testes and adrenal glands are the principal source of oestradiol. Normal levels of oestradiol provide for proper ovulation, conception, and pregnancy, in addition to promoting healthy bone structure and regulating cholesterol levels in females.
Prolactin regulates galactorrhoea (milk production not during pregnancy). Prolactinoma (an overgrowth of the gland that secretes prolactin) may be related to visual disturbances and headaches. Prolactin levels are also as part of investigation for female and male infertility; for follow up of low testosterone in men.
Thyroxine is one of two major hormones produced by the thyroid gland (the other is called triiodothyronine T3). Within the blood, most thyroid hormones are attached to a protein, but it is the hormones that are free from these proteins that are able to affect body functions. This is why we measure the 'free' thyroxine in your blood sample.
TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone, thyrotropin) blood test which screens for and diagnoses thyroid disorders; monitors treatment of hypothyroidism/hyperthyroidism.
T3 and T4 are hormones produced by the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is found in the neck, in front of the windpipe. T3 makes up less than 10% of what we call thyroid hormone, while T4 makes up the rest. T3, however, is about four times as strong as T4, and is thought to cause most, if not all, the effects of thyroid hormones.
Thyroid hormones help regulate the body’s metabolism (how the body functions) and are also related to fertility.
Total cholesterol and its sub groups HDL, LDL and Triglycerides (TG) are used in evaluating heart disease risk.
These tests are useful in the assessment of healthy individuals as well as in patients who have heart disease or have other risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure or diabetes. They are also used to monitor treatment with lipid lowering drugs.
The test for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is also used as part of a lipid profile to screen for unhealthy levels of lipids and to determine an individual's risk of developing heart disease. HDL-C is considered to be beneficial, the so-called "good" cholesterol, because it removes excess cholesterol from tissues and carries it to the liver for disposal. As part of a lipid profile, HDL-C may also be used to monitor the effectiveness of treatment for unhealthy lipid levels.
LDL-C is usually calculated from the results of the other components of the lipid profile, including total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides. In most cases, the formula provides a good estimate of the LDL-C, but it becomes less accurate with increased triglyceride levels (i.e., above 400 mg/dL). Of all the forms of cholesterol in the blood, the LDL-C is considered the most important form in determining risk of heart disease. It is considered to be undesirable and is often call "bad" cholesterol because it deposits excess cholesterol in blood vessel walls and contributes to hardening of the arteries and heart disease.
Total cholesterol and its sub groups HDL, LDL and Triglycerides (TG) are used in evaluating heart disease risk.
These tests are useful in the assessment of healthy individuals as well as in patients who have heart disease or have other risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure or diabetes. They are also used to monitor treatment with lipid lowering drugs.
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), and Bilirubin. These tests together as a group are referred as 'liver function tests'. They detect liver damage or/and inherited liver disorders.
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), and Bilirubin. These tests together as a group are referred as 'liver function tests'. They detect liver damage or/and inherited liver disorders.
When red blood cells are broken down the pigment giving them their characteristic red colour, haemoglobin, (whose role is to carry oxygen to the tissues) is converted to unconjugated bilirubin. Only small amounts of bilirubin are normally present in the blood. In the liver, each unconjugated bilirubin molecule has a sugar molecule attached to it to form water soluble conjugated bilirubin. This is secreted into bile and carried to the intestine where bacteria break it down, eventually producing the brown pigment that colours normal stools. This metabolic process taking place in the liver is the reason that bilirubin can be used as a marker for liver disease such as cirrhosis.
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that has a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and the formation of red blood cells. It is involved in the metabolism of every cell of the human body, especially affecting DNA synthesis, fatty acid and amino acid metabolism.
Folate is essential for the body to make DNA, RNA, and metabolise amino acids which are required for cell division. Humans cannot make folates and therefore it is required from the diet.
Not enough folate can lead to folate deficiency. This may result in a type of anaemia where there is a low number of large red blood cells. Symptoms may include feeling tired, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, open sores on the tongue, and changes in the colour of the skin or hair. Low levels in early pregnancy are believed to be the cause of more than half of cases of neural tube defects in babies. Folate has also been implicated in several other conditions including cancer, heart disease and strokes, fertility, physiological problems and many others.