Creating wound-specific laboratory values aids in ordering and care consistency. Laboratory results are useful in determining and monitoring the patient’s nutritional health, as well as any chronic underlying medical issues.
The following tests may be useful to identify factors associated to wound development or those that impede wound healing.
-Haemoglobin: Anemia may delay healing.
-White cell count: Determine if the infection is present.
-Platelet count: Thrombocytopenia.
-Erythrocyte sedimentation rate: Non-specific markers of infection and inflammation; useful in diagnosis and monitoring treatment of infections or inflammatory ulceration.
-Urea and creatinine: High urea impairs wound healing. Renal function is important when using antibiotics.
-Albumin: Protein loss delays healing.
-Glucose: Diabetes mellitus
-Markers of autoimmune diseases: Indicative of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and other connective tissue disorders.
-Cryoglubulins, cryofibrinogens, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time: Haematological disease
-Deficiency or defect of antithrombin III, protein C, protein S, factor V Leiden: Vascular thrombosis
-Haemoglobinopathy screen: sickle cell anemia, thalassemia.
-HIV status: Kaposi’s sarcoma