Clinical Chemistry
Tuberculosis (TB) patients in S.C. are being treated with Isoniazide (INH) therapy. It is extremely important to monitor the liver and kidney function of these patients. Failure to monitor these functions can have adverse effects due to the INH therapy. Special panels of blood chemistries are performed on a routine basis for the TB patients.
With known connection between high levels of cholesterol in the blood and its effects on having a heart attack, it has become very important to monitor various cholesterol levels in the family health clinics at the county health departments. The clinical chemistry section offers special lipid testing panels for these clinics.
The laboratory provides specific chemistry panel testing for S.C. Children's Rehabilitative Services where children are being treated for sickle cell anemia.
Various Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) clinics throughout the state utilize the laboratory to monitor abnormal blood chemistries.
Exposure to various organic solvents can have adverse effects on cholinesterase levels in the body. The chemistry section monitors the cholinesterase levels for Environmental Quality Control laboratory personnel who handle organic solvents on a routine basis.
Adult thyroid function tests are offered by the laboratory. These tests include Thyroxine (T4), Triiodothyronine Uptake (T3U), Free Thyroxine Index (FTI) calculation, and an ultra sensitive Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) assay. All these tests are very useful tools for initial evaluation of a patient with suspected thyroid dysfunction and when monitoring the effect of thyroid hormone replacement therapy in already diagnosed patients.
Rubella antibody screening test is performed in this laboratory.
The Clinical Chemistry section is accredited under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA '88) by the federal Health and Human Services Department. CLIA Accreditation No. 42D0658606.
The laboratory maintains this accreditation and assures high quality through biannual onsite inspections and participation in quarterly College of American Pathologists' (CAP) proficiency surveys. The turnaround time for test results is approximately 1 day.