Diagnostic value of a chemistry test profile.

Serum chemistry test results were correlated with discharge diagnoses of 4,295 persons admitted to an acute care general hospital in a seven-month period. The diagnostic value of the test results, separately and in combinations of up to 12 tests, were calculated at each of ten levels as measured from the mean of normal in standard deviations. All patients had a serum profile consisting of total calcium, inorganic phosphorus, glucose, urea nitrogen, uric acid, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, lactic dehydrogenase, and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase levels. Analysis by manual and computer technics is illustrated. Computerized analysis of a chemistry profile is reported as a list of diagnostic possibilities in ranking order, with the calculated probability for each. In this preliminary report individual diseases are replaced by categories of disease taken from The International Classification of Diseases, Adapted (ICDA).