Originally published in LabTalk (Volume 3, Issue 3, 2008), the quarterly newsletter of Aculabs. Prothrombin time (PT) tests measure clotting time in a blood sample from the activation of factor VII through the formation of fibrin clot. PT evaluates the integrity of the extrinsic and common pathways of coagulation. It is measured in seconds and

Originally published in LabTalk (Volume 3, Issue 2, 2008), the quarterly newsletter of Aculabs. Background Since UTI is very common among the geriatric population and can cause serious complications, urinalysis and urine cultures contribute vital information regarding a patient’s state of health and acts as a guide in the physician’s clinical decision regarding treatment. Evaluation

Originally published in LabTalk (Volume 3, Issue 1, 2008), the quarterly newsletter of Aculabs. Diabetes is a chronic illness in which the body does not properly use or produce insulin; more than 7% or an estimated 20.8 million in the Unites States have diabetes, and almost one third are unaware that they have the disease.

Originally published in LabTalk (Volume 2, Issue 4, 2007), the quarterly newsletter of Aculabs. Thyroid dysfunction is one of the most encountered problems in clinical practice. Adequate diagnosis and management require a thorough knowledge of the change in the thyroid function with age, and the effect of the Non-Thyroidal Illness (NTI) on laboratory results. Many

Originally published in LabTalk (Volume 2, Issue 3, 2007), the quarterly newsletter of Aculabs. Cancer is the second-most frequent cause of death in the United States, and Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in the US and the world. In a recent statistical study from the American Cancer Society, CRC was the