Lab Quality In Udon

[rjj04]

I recently had a quick checkup at the Mitliary Hosp downtown. My first reading of the report was, WOW what good numbers. Then, after getting back home to Sakon and letting the numbers rumble around for a while upstairs, I took another look at something that had caught my eye berfore. My cursory knowledge on Total Cholesterol numbers had me thinking it was calculated by adding the LDL + HDL plus some part of the triglycerides. I then did a quick calc in my head... hmmmm HDL 41 + LDL 92 = 133 yet my Total Cholesterol was printed out as 124? Hmmmm. Then onto the internet to see what the real calculation is supposed to be...

HDL + LDL + (TG / 5) = Total Cholesterol
41 + 92 + (64/5) = 146

So, why is my report showing 124 on my printout for Total Cholesterol?
Back to the internet to plug the numbers into a couple online calculators and once again 146 (or thereabouts)

22 points off is not a rounding error.

Then I thought I'd go back over the years and check my previous reports from USA, Aek, Wattana, BKK Hosp. Udon and Bumrungrad.

I found Wattana and Bumrungrad to be spot on, but Aek and BKK also off by no trivial amount (same, about 20 points or so off).

So, does anybody out there know of some reason why these numbers might be off by such a large amount?
I mean, it is simple arithmetic. If they can make such an obvious mistake, then what else might be amiss?
Do they ever calibrate their equipment, and how do they do it?

It really makes one wonder, why even bother if the lab results can be so ridiculously in error?

Anyway, interested in hearing if others have had this issue.

[semperfiguy]

Rjj04...can't comment on the Total Cholesterol, but I too discovered a problem on my final report. I had three tests under the blood analysis that came up Low or High, so I checked the internet and discovered that the normal parameters listed were for a female and not a male. When I compared my results against the correct male parameters they were completely normal.

[Udonhoward]

Using the same formula, my recent total cholesterol calculations are way off too. My last test results (2017) are 17 points too low, according to the formula. The test results prior to that are 14 points too low. I don't have an answer...

[rjj04]

Rjj04...can't comment on the Total Cholesterol, but I too discovered a problem on my final report. I had three tests under the blood analysis that came up Low or High, so I checked the internet and discovered that the normal parameters listed were for a female and not a male. When I compared my results against the correct male parameters they were completely normal.

By "parameters" do you mean risk level categorization? The calculation should be the same for men and women, but the risk level is different. I entered both man and then woman in the tool below, and the "Total Cholesterol" was the same...
just the interpretation of risk is different...

https://www.thecalculator.co/health/Cho ... r-106.html

Anyway, thanks for the feedback
TIT

[rjj04]

Rjj04...can't comment on the Total Cholesterol, but I too discovered a problem on my final report. I had three tests under the blood analysis that came up Low or High, so I checked the internet and discovered that the normal parameters listed were for a female and not a male. When I compared my results against the correct male parameters they were completely normal.

Sorry, distracted watching some MMA. One report I had before I saw that they categorized me as a female on the report
As far as the calculation, you'd think their software could just verify the sanity of the numbers... like a few lines of code, jeez louise

[rjj04]

Using the same formula, my recent total cholesterol calculations are way off too. My last test results (2017) are 17 points too low, according to the formula. The test results prior to that are 14 points too low. I don't have an answer...

Which hospital was that, if you don't mind my asking? All my Wattana chol calcs "seem" to be kosher but BKK Hosp, Aek, and the Military Hosp seem to have problems. Might be something for people to keep in mind the next time they are choosing a hospital to do a checkup.

[Barney]

rjj04
Your post will make me go back and check my many cholesterol checks, I have had my heart operation some time ago, but, can I assume you were sent for tests by a doctor to review?
If so would it not be prudent to take your results and your internet finds to have him clarify?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[semperfiguy]

Rjj04...can't comment on the Total Cholesterol, but I too discovered a problem on my final report. I had three tests under the blood analysis that came up Low or High, so I checked the internet and discovered that the normal parameters listed were for a female and not a male. When I compared my results against the correct male parameters they were completely normal.

By "parameters" do you mean risk level categorization? The calculation should be the same for men and women, but the risk level is different. I entered both man and then woman in the tool below, and the "Total Cholesterol" was the same...
just the interpretation of risk is different...

https://www.thecalculator.co/health/Cho ... r-106.html

Anyway, thanks for the feedback
TIT

Not sure what one would call it, but it's the range of "normal" that is printed on the results form. Your particular test will then have an "L" or "H" or be "blank" meaning your result was LOW, HIGH or NORMAL being within the indicated range.

[rjj04]

rjj04
Your post will make me go back and check my many cholesterol checks, I have had my heart operation some time ago, but, can I assume you were sent for tests by a doctor to review?
If so would it not be prudent to take your results and your internet finds to have him clarify?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

All these "errors" seem to be in the downward direction, that is, falsely showing lower Tot Chol readings. I've just been thinking that if this is so common what about all these folks who do have cardiovascular problems and are relying on them being correct for their Doctors... no doubt the doctors look at this data to assign the correct prescription and dosage. People might be under-dosing and suffering more frequent events.... not a pleasant thought to be sure.

We had to take Grandma in and the wife and I did the cheap check-up since we had to wait around anyway. I had been on a WFPB diet for eight months and lost 25kg (now bounced up 4 kgs) so I was keen to see what effect it had on my numbers. I currently don't seem to have any CVD issues, or any other ones that I know of. Thanks for your considerate advice though.

For those curious about the WFPB diet effects...
1) Chol numbers stated previously.
Triglycerides dropped 120pts... never even thought that was possible... hopefully not another error or typo
Tot Chol down nearly 50pts

2) Liver function tests went way down too... healthier liver... I assume now my "fatty" liver is gone or nearly so

3) Blood pressure has dropped 15/20 points. This was the prime reason I decided to drop the weight as worried I might have to go on meds if not brought down.

4) FBS dropped 12 pts.... no need to worry about DM for several years more at least, I imagine.

5) For the first time since my thirties I can actually "run", not jog, a few kms... it is a massively anti-inflammatory diet, and I seem to recover from training much faster with less soreness overall.

The down side... alcohol is plant based, but certainly isn't a "whole food"
I do think that finally my cravings for pizza and McDs have abated... I have to say that was the toughest part of it.

For those with CVD, I would recommend Dr Dean Ornish's book on reversing CVD. I believe he has written a few books since then (after another peer reviewed study reversing prostate cancer). I read it back twenty years ago when I was also at a point where I was starting to have to use blood pressure meds, but did a strict vegan diet (not exactly the same as the current WFPB diet) which also dropped my numbers way down. Over the years I was a sheep that drifted from the flock and things creped back up out of control again... live and learn, as they say.

Anyway, hopefully I can keep these numbers down for another decade or so.... knock-on-wood

[garylee]

I also went to a whole plant base lifestyle, with amazing results, i had several medical problems, including macular degeneration of the eye, and today I have no medical problems, that I know of. I also took up jogging everyday.
Going plant has been the best thing I ever did.

[saint]

I thought there was no cure as yet proven for Macular Degeneration . Unless of course you had the early wet type .

[rjj04]

I also went to a whole plant base lifestyle, with amazing results, i had several medical problems, including macular degeneration of the eye, and today I have no medical problems, that I know of. I also took up jogging everyday.
Going plant has been the best thing I ever did.

That's great, good on you. I didn't know you could actually reverse MD. Prevention (with high lutein/zeaxanthin foods like kale, spinach, goji berries) has been shown already.
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/dietar ... eneration/

Mother-in-law here has had diabetes for more than twenty years. About a year ago she had to start steroid shots into her eyes to slow the diabetic retinopathy from taking it's course. After multiple shots and an accident where her eye got infected seriously (had to stay in the hospital with some heavy anti-biotics) she finally started listening to my wife. Since then she has tried to eat more plant-based and her FBS, cholesterol, and weight has come down along with the amount of insulin she has to take (stepped down four times now). I guess when it gets to the point of going blind (she also had neuropathy in hands and feet) people can finally change. She continues to sneak garbage food into her diet (at least that is what the wife says) so I doubt she can reverse the course of twenty years... but maybe she can slow it down at least.