Reportable Lab Results: Fill & Download for Free

The problem with lab reports is that the notation is either normal or abnormal. But that’s not how our bodies function. There are ranges of normal, clinically insignificant abnormals, and then there is meaningfully abnormal.For example, let’s say that the “normal” height for a female European American is 5’5” to 5’7”. If a woman is 5’4” is that an abnormal height? According to the standard, it is. But it is not clinically meaningful. How about a woman that is 5’8”? Same thing.If a woman is 5’1”, is that abnormal? What if the woman is Asian?Let's take liver enzyme blood tests like ALT and AST. What does a result that is very low mean? Nothing. That’s like having too high an IQ.Many ethnicities have a lower total white blood count compared to the European American normal but it is normal for their ethnicity. It’s called ethnic neutropenia. Blacks and Asians have this. It’s not a disease but it’s an abnormal lab value with no clinical significance.So the more important question to ask your doctor or nurse practitioner is whether or not the lab results are clinically significant. There’s really a normal range that is beyond the reported lab standard.

Let me build a picture for you.A man, comes to his Urologist and complains of occasional coca cola colored urine some MORNINGS.Further, he reports that he gets tired easily… poor fellow. :PThe urologist notes:PallorFever (say 39 degree celsius)Bleeding gums (possibly but not specific)EcchymosisThen he asks for some lab results…On the next visit the patient brings the urologist the lab results…On urine analysis: you find Hemoglobin in urine (Hemoglobinuria) plus hemosiderin in urine (Hemosiderinuria)In blood, free hemoglobin levels are found raised along with haptoglobin. (Reticulocyte count was also raised)Direct Antiglobulin test was negative.Flow cytometry for CD 55 was also negative.CD 55 is DECAY accelarating factor. If it is not there, as in our case, the complement proteins are not degraded. CD 55 would have helped the poor RBC if complement got attached to it by mistake.But since it is not there, Complement attacks the poor RBC particularly in the night time.WHY night time ?In nights, most guys and gals are sleeping. (Except the medicos, for that matter.)We do shallow breathing while we sleep. Carbon Dioxide levels in blood are higher as compared to when we are awake. This lowers the pH. It makes the blood relatively more acidic. This augments the activation of complement.By the way, this patient will die in 10–12 years. Unless he undergoes bone marrow transplantation. The cause of death is most likely gonna be thrombosis.

My daughter was in 8th grade & had never missed a day of school. She's a healthy, tough kid. One morning she was crying & having severe abdominal pain, & running a fever. I took her to her pediatrician, who suspected appendicitis, as did I. We were told to wait for lab results, which took an hour & a half. Finally, it came to me needing to drive in CA rush hour traffic, to a hospital over 25 miles away, due to no pediatric surgeon at their closest hospital. She had emergency surgery for a burst appendix. The next day, we were sent home with antibiotics. After 3 days, she felt worse than pre-op, fevered & crying in pain. I went to the nearest hospital & she was taken by ambulance, back to the hospital where the surgery was done. I suspected peritonitis, which is potentially fatal. She was put on IV antibiotics & I heard the nurses giving report & they said she had peritonitis. The next day, I mentioned to the hospital pediatrician that my daughter had peritonitis & this horrible human got right in my face & spat out each word, “She does NOT have peritonitis!” I told her that I knew that was the diagnosis & to get her ass out of that room & never come back. The surgeon met with me & confirmed that, indeed, the diagnosis was peritonitis. I told him what had transpired with his colleague. He didn't have any comment. I was absolutely furious with that lying, unprofessional woman. Later, the hospital sent me a questionnaire, to rate the offending doctor. She did not get a good rating, needless to say. So yes, doctors lie.