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Lesson Chem-Screen (CS) Test
en español

Have you ever wondered why your doctor, nurse, or lab technician takes so many tubes of blood? Some blood samples are used to measure your viral load, T-cells, and other blood cell counts. At the same time, some samples are used to perform a blood chemistry test on a regular basis to monitor other important components of your health.

The blood chemistry test—also known as a chem screen—measures a number of important chemicals produced by your body to help it function properly. While a chem screen won't really tell you much about HIV or how your immune system is doing, it can help you and your doctor determine if another infection is present in the body or if you're having any side effects to the drugs you're taking.

A chem screen can involve many different tests, but usually measure between 6 to 24 chemicals. Some of the most important chemical levels in people living with HIV can be seen in the following example of a chem screen lab report. Click on a test name in the left column to view an explanation of its significance & meaning. (note: to see and/or print a complete list of test name explanations, click here.)

Clinical Laboratory Report
Patient Name Date Drawn Date Received Date of Report
  DOE, JOHN     12/20/99     12/20/99       12/22/99  
Sex Age Client Name / Address I.D. Number Account Number
  M   31   MEDICAL CENTER
  YOUR DOCTOR, M.D.
  123 MAIN STREET
  ANYTOWN     US        10023
  78987654   12343
Ordering Physician Time
Drawn
  SMITH
  123094567
Specimen Number
  918273   11:00
Patient I.D./Soc. Sec Number
 
 
TEST NAME RESULT UNITS REFERENCE RANGE
 
CHEM-SCREEN PANEL
GLUCOSE 87   mg/dL 65  - 125
SODIUM 140   mmol/L 136  - 144
POTASSIUM 4 .6 mmol/L 3.6  - 5.1
CHLORIDE 106   mmol/L 99  - 109
CARBON DIOXIDE (BICARBONATE) 28   mmol/L 21  - 31
BUN (BLOOD UREA NITROGEN) 9   mg/dL 8  - 24
CREATININE 0 .9 mg/dL 0.7  - 1.3
BUN/CREATININE RATIO 10 .0  
URIC ACID 6 .0 mg/dL 3.0  - 8.1
PHOSPHATE 3 .5 mg/dL 2.3  - 4.5
CALCIUM 9 .6 mg/dL 8.8  - 10.3
MAGNESIUM 2 .09 g/dL 1.50  - 2.50
CHOLESTEROL 258   mg/dL      H 120  - 199
HDL CHOLESTEROL 41   mg/dL 35  - 59
CHOL/HDL RATIO 6 .3   3.6  - 6.4
LDL CHOL., CALCULATED 179   mg/dL      H 75  - 129
TRIGLYCERIDES 231   mg/dL      H 40  - 200
PROTEIN, TOTAL 8 .3 g/dL 6.5  - 8.3
ALBUMIN 4 .5 g/dL 4.0  - 5.0
GLOBULIN, CALCULATED 3 .8 g/dL         H 2.1  - 3.6
A/G RATIO 1 .2   1.1  - 2.0
BILIRUBIN, TOTAL 0 .51 mg/dL 0.20  - 1.50
BILIRUBIN, DIRECT 0 .10 mg/dL 0.00  - 0.20
ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE 85   IU/L 30  - 110
GGT 24   IU/L 5  - 80
AST (SGOT) 46   IU/L         H 5  - 43
ALT (SGPT) 45   IU/L 5  - 60
AMYLASE, SERUM 33   IU/L 0  - 100
LD 235   IU/L         H 100  - 215
IRON 106   mg/dL 50  - 170
 



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Last Revised: September 02, 2003

This content is written by the editorial team at AIDSmeds.com.
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