Clinical Biochemistry

Recommended Prerequisites

Cellular and Molecular Biology; Human Anatomophysiology; Biochemistry; Immunology; Hematology; Pathophysiology.

Teaching Methods

The teaching strategy is based mainly on traditional lectures integrated with problem-solving classes (TP) focused on the discussion of particular problems and clinical reports in the scope of theoretical topics, aiming an active learning and acquisition of integrated knowledge. In this way, students should gain interpretation skills to understand the use of the most widely used biochemical parameters and biochemical assays in routine laboratory diagnosis.

Learning Outcomes

This curricular unit is concerned with the application of previous acquired knowledge, mainly of Biochemistry and Physiology, to the understanding of biochemical and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying human disease, and responsible for changes in analytical parameters of biological fluids, used widely in routine laboratory diagnosis.

The main aim is to confer basic skills in interpreting laboratory data, obtained in biological fluids in diverse pathological conditions. At the end, students should be able to understand: i) the clinical significance of changes in analytical biochemical parameters widely used in routine laboratory diagnosis and ii) the biochemical mechanisms underlying such changes.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Lectures

1. The biological fluids and the differences in chemical composition.

2. Disorders of water, electrolyte and acid-base metabolism: changes in analytical parameters useful in clinical diagnosis.

3. Non-protein nitrogen metabolites and the biochemical study of renal function.

4. Proteins changes in biological fluids.

5. Clinical enzymology: enzymes as biomarkers of disease.

6. Disorders of carbohydrate metabolism: a) hereditary disorders; b) diabetes mellitus – metabolic consequences, biochemical complications, analytical parameters in diagnosis and control; c) hypoglycemia.

7. Disorders of lipid metabolism: hypercholesterolemia-LDL, mechanisms and relevance in atherogenesis; HDL benefits; dyslipidemias.

8. Atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction:molecular mechanisms and biochemical markers.

9. Biochemical evaluation of liver function: Excretion function parameters and cellular enzymes.

Problem-solving classes

Clinical reports discussions and interpretation of laboratory data

Head Lecturer(s)

José Barata Antunes Custódio

Assessment Methods

Final assessment
Exam: 100.0%

Bibliography

1. Tietz Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics (7th Edition). Burtis, C. and Bruns, D. E., Eds. Elsievier Saunders (2015).

2. Clinical Chemistry: Theory, Analysis and Correlation. Kaplan, L.A., Pesce, A. J, Kazmierczak, S. C., Eds. Mosby Inc., St Louis (Elsevier) (2010).

3. Clinical Biochemistry. An illustrated colour text (5th Edition). Gaw, A., Murphy, M. J., Srivastava, R., Cowan, R. A., O’Reilly, D.St J. Churchill Livingstone, Elsevier (2013).

4. Henry’s Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods (22nd Edition), McPherson and Pincus, Eds. Elsevier Saunders (2011).

5. Textbook of Biochemistry, with Clinical Correlations (7th Edition), Devlin, T. M., Editor. John Wiley and Sons, Ltd., New York (2011).

6. Clinical Detective Stories. A Problem-Based Approach to Clinical Cases in Energy and Acid-Base Metabolism. Halperin, M., Rolleston, F. Portland Press, London.

7. Artigos seleccionados de revistas científicas/Selected Scientific papers.