Diabetes Talking

Question:

A diabetic friend had a kidney function blood test done and two items named sgot and sgpt were a just under the average printed next to the results,the doctor said everything was ok so just what is this stuff?     is there a supplement for it? oh and globulin was 2.9 with average being 3.0-4.8 what about that…

Response:

AST (SGOT), ALT (SGPT), and GGT are all liver function tests, not kidney. Globulin is used in a ratio to albumin to measure kidney function. Dianne

Response:

   Newsgroups: misc.health.diabetes    A diabetic friend had a kidney function blood test done and    two items named sgot and sgpt were a just under the average    printed next to the results,the doctor said everything was ok    so just what is this stuff?     is there a supplement for it?    oh and globulin was 2.9 with average being 3.0-4.8    what about that… I don’t know… But if you got a 2.9 where 3.0 is normal… I’d not worry about it… The lab could have been off one in the last digit rather easily (IN fact on my last lab test I did get a 2.9 where a 3.0 is normal if memory serves,  either that or a 3.9 where a 4.0 is normal)  One unit in the last digit is not considered significant as that is the error inherent in any digital device "Nothing adds excitement like something that is none of your business" Everything is unimportant in some way. Net-Tamer V 1.08X – Registered

Response:

I don’t think you can generalize about the error of a digital or laboratory device as being one unit in the last decimal place. Rather it is part of what constitutes the devices significants digits with regard to the results it reports. e.g. the microprocessor, the data reduction routine, the intrument display/printout…… A device generally calculates the result internally out to some lengthy real number and only displays what is significant for the device and test. In a result of 2.9, the 0.9 may be significant and needs to be interpreted appropriately by trained personel depending on the test and what the test is for. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –    Newsgroups: misc.health.diabetes    A diabetic friend had a kidney function blood test done and    two items named sgot and sgpt were a just under the average    printed next to the results,the doctor said everything was ok    so just what is this stuff?     is there a supplement for it?    oh and globulin was 2.9 with average being 3.0-4.8    what about that… I don’t know… But if you got a 2.9 where 3.0 is normal… I’d not worry about it… The lab could have been off one in the last digit rather easily (IN fact on my last lab test I did get a 2.9 where a 3.0 is normal if memory serves,  either that or a 3.9 where a 4.0 is normal)  One unit in the last digit is not considered significant as that is the error inherent in any digital device "Nothing adds excitement like something that is none of your business" Everything is unimportant in some way. Net-Tamer V 1.08X – Registered

– This/these opinion(s) is/are mine and not that/those of my employer.

Response:

AST (SGOT), ALT (SGPT), and GGT are all liver function tests, not kidney. Globulin is used in a ratio to albumin to measure kidney function.

Note, though, that they go UP as liver function (or its health, rather) goes DOWN . Brian —          Website (sort of)  http://www.kpress.demon.co.uk

Response:

   Newsgroups: misc.health.diabetes    I don’t think you can generalize about the error of a digital or    laboratory device as being one unit in the last decimal place.    Rather it is part of what constitutes the devices significants    digits with regard to the results it reports. e.g. the    microprocessor, the data reduction routine, the intrument    display/printout…… A device generally calculates the result    internally out to some lengthy real number and only displays what    is significant for the device and test. In a result of 2.9, the 0.9    may be significant and needs to be interpreted appropriately by    trained personel depending on the test and what the test is for. You are quite correct in everythign you said, HOWEVER the stated accuracy of any digital meter is still plus/minus one in the last digit. Let’s assume for a moment that your meter tested to say 50 digits 4.4999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999995 Now is that 4.4 or 4.5?  The meter can go either way with this one Second there are different ways of making the adjustment… Some meters (I’ll shorten thigns a bit here) report 4.49 as 4.5, some as 4.4  Again the error is one in the last digit. I am, of course, assuming that there is not a greater error in the meter as well (Example digital BG meters often say Plus/minus 15% which is hopefully greater than 1 in the last digit)  But you can not make any digital meter that will give the same reading every time on the same sample for all samples You will always find one sample (At least) that bobbles the last digit, Now in the case of the lab’s HbA1c tests… I suspect the test prams are greater than bobble, but I happen to be trained in electronics and engenering not medicin (other than MY diabetes) so I just suspect. I do know that my doctor, who is very well trained in medicine, does not feel that the difference specified (3.9 where 4.0 is "Normal") is anything to loose sleep over.  In fact, as I said… I had exactly the same type of lab reading, Off by one in the last digit from normal.  He failed to get excited  "Nothing adds excitement like something that is none of your business" It’s not just reality that matters. Net-Tamer V 1.09.2 Palm Top – Registered

Response: