Swaminathan S

Trace elements are essential for health, growth and functioning of a number of components of the immune system. They are very important for a number of enzymes and proteins which are involved in many physiological and biochemical processes related to growth, production and reproduction. There are many trace elements which are associated with thyroid function, among which Iodine is very important  as it is the source for thyroid hormones synthesis . Selenium-containing enzymes protect the thyroid gland from oxidative stress and the selenium-based proteins help to regulate hormone synthesis, converting T4 into the more accessible and active T3. These proteins and enzymes help to regulate metabolism and maintain the right amount of thyroid hormones in the organs where it is being used. Similarly trace elements like zinc, iron and copper are vital for thyroid function. In this review, we have summarized all information available on the role of trace elements for the functioning of Thyroid gland. Some trace elements showed increased concentration in malignant and benign thyroid nodules and therefore, those trace elements can also be used as markers of thyroid cancers.

Medical Laboratory diagnosis begins with qualitative urine analysis using a random voided urine for micro, sugar and albumin to diagnose symptoms associated with infection, diabetes and renal failure.  Quantitative analysis using blood is the method of choice and once autoanalyser evolved, laboratories started using urine for quantitative analysis.  Biochemistry plays a significant role in the quantitative measurements of metabolites and its end products excreted in urine to correlate their levels in blood.  The other body fluid used for laboratory diagnostic purpose are saliva and sweat. Saliva and urine based biochemical tests are emerging as latest trends in laboratory diagnosis. The diagnostically useful tests using urine as specimen are TB-LAM to confirm TB, Fibrinopeptide A for ovarian and Gastric Cancer and Apo A1,A2, E and α1 antitrypsin for bladder cancer. This paper is an attempt to bring out the latest research findings in the use of urine for quantitative measurement of various analytes and its clinical usefulness.

Variations in Red Blood Corpuscles indices survival can cause clinically important differences in Glycosylated Haemoglobin levels. Many previous studies have shown that Glycosylated Haemoglobin levels did not correlate with the degree of anemia for a given mean plasma glucose and hence Glycosylated Haemoglobin level in patients with iron deficiency anemia should be interpreted with caution.  Glycosylated Haemoglobin level is not affected by degree of anemia or glucose level alone but red blood corpuscles indices, notably Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin, Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration, Platelet Distribution Width, Red Cell Distribution Width & White Blood Cells. fractions may affect. This study has proved that all the above indices are significantly correlated to Glycosylated Haemoglobin levels, thus giving an understanding that Glycosylated Haemoglobin levels in Diabetes with iron deficiency anemia could be interpreted with Red Blood Corpuscles indices.