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Part II Nutrition Assessment, Consequences, and Implications

TABLE 11.3 Common Reasons for Altered Laboratory Results May Lower Levels

Laboratory Test

Hemoglobin

Overhydration, acute or chronic hemorrhage, hypertension, cirrhosis, hypothyroidism, cancer, AIDS, malnutrition

Antibiotics, antineoplastic drugs, aspirin Hematocrit

Overhydration, hyperthyroidism, chronic kidney disease, leukemia, cirrhosis, AIDS, malnutrition

Antibiotics, aspirin, penicillin, antineoplastic drugs

Mean

corpuscular volume

Serum iron

Advanced iron deficiency, chronic blood loss, iron malabsorption

Acute or chronic infection, cancer, malnutrition, chronic blood loss, malabsorption, GI blood loss, diverticulosis

Cortisone, methicillin, risperidone, allopurinol, testosterone, aspirin, metformin, levodopa, amoxicillin

Ferritin

Iron deficiency, severe protein deficiency, hemodialysis

FeSO4 Transferrin

Total iron binding capacity

Serum folate supplements, theophylline

Overhydration, chronic infection, liver disease, acute catabolic stress, malnutrition, iron overload, AIDS

Cirrhosis, inflammatory diseases, malnutrition, hyperthyroidism

Malnutrition, malabsorption syndromes, celiac disease, liver disease, alcoholism, chronic kidney disease, intestinal resection

Anticonvulsants, barbiturates, iron, phenytoin, antacids, aspirin, metformin, phenobarbital, allopurinol

Liver disease, folate deficiency, vitamin B-12 deficiency, excessive alcohol intake, celiac disease, hyperthyroidism

Vitamin B-6 deficiency, acute hepatitis, repeated blood transfusions, hepatic necrosis, acute leukemia

Estrogen, multivitamins, methotrexate, chemotherapeutic agents, methyldopa

Dehydration, acute blood loss, burns, severe diarrhea, COPD

Gentamicin, methyldopa

May Elevate Levels

Dehydration, severe burns, congestive heart failure, COPD, severe diarrhea Gentamicin, methyldopa

Alcoholic liver disease, hyperthyroidism, inflammation, leukemia, chronic kidney disease stage V

Vitamin C supplements, antithyroid therapy Dehydration, hepatitis, chronic blood loss

Iron deficiency, acute hepatitis, acute or chronic blood loss

Vegetarianism