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Serum phosphorus

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Definition:

The serum phosphorus test measures the amount of phosphate in the blood.

Alternative Names:

Phosphorus - serum; HPO4 ^-2 , PO4 ^-3 ; Inorganic phosphate

How the test is performed:

Blood is drawn from a vein, usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. The puncture site is cleaned with antiseptic. An elastic band is placed around the upper arm to apply pressure and cause the vein to swell with blood.

A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. During the procedure, the band is removed to restore circulation. Once the blood has been collected, the needle is removed, and the puncture site is covered to stop any bleeding.

For an infant or young child, the area is cleansed with antiseptic and punctured with a sharp needle or a lancet. The blood may be collected in a pipette (small glass tube), on a slide, onto a test strip, or into a small container. A bandage may be applied to the puncture site if there is any bleeding.

How to prepare for the test:

The health care provider may advise you to stop taking drugs that may affect the test.

How the test will feel:

When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain, while others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Afterward, there may be some throbbing.

Why the test is performed:

This test is performed to evaluate the blood level of phosphorus, particularly when the person has a disorder known to cause abnormal phosphorus levels.

Most of the body's phosphorus is combined with calcium in the bones, but about 15% exists -- as phosphate (PO4) ions -- in the blood and other soft tissues and body fluids. Dietary phosphorus is efficiently absorbed, so a low PO4 level caused by dietary deficiency is unlikely in those on a normal diet unless the person has a malabsorption syndrome (inadequate absorption of nutrients in the intestinal tract).

PO4 levels are controlled by PTH , 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D. The 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D increases absorption of calcium and phosphate in the intestines. PTH:

• Increases calcium and PO4 release from bone
• Decreases loss of calcium and increases loss of PO4 in the urine
• Increases conversion of 25-hydroxy vitamin D to 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D in the kidneys

• Review Date: 3/13/2006
• Reviewed By: Robert Hurd, M.D., Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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