Clinical Biochemistry and the Sick Child

Paediatric chemical pathology is an important part of the laboratory service provided by district general hospitals. Frequently, the problems of investigating the sick child and interpreting the results are ill-understood. One of the primary aims of the first edition of this book was to bridge the divide between the paediatricians and laboratory staff and to give guidance on what is required by the clinician, what the laboratory service can provide and how those results can best be interpreted. This second edition remains true to the aims of the earlier volume by providing guidelines on all aspects of biochemical investigations in children. It has been expanded to include new chapters on molecular biology and the new genetics of diagnosis, metabolic disorders and investigations for AIDS. There is an appendix on clinical tests and reference ranges. All the chapters have been revised and where appropriate, expanded to take into account new developments in investigative procedures, particularly in the chapters on diabetes, endocrine and liver disorders. The book is aimed at practising paediatricians and chemical pathologists.