When is aldolase prescribed?
Aldolase is found primarily in skeletal muscle, myocardium and liver. Its level increases with the destruction of muscle cells, so the analysis is used for suspected inflammatory myopathies - polymyositis and dermatomyositis, for muscular dystrophies, as well as for monitoring the activity of the process during treatment. In children, the study helps in diagnosing hereditary muscle diseases. The indicator is usually assessed together with creatine kinase: their joint increase is highly likely to indicate the muscular origin of the problem, while an isolated increase may be of a hepatic nature.
Why preparation is so important
The laboratory result is a number, but the correct number can only be obtained if the rules are followed. Eating changes the levels of glucose, lipids and a number of enzymes significantly; physical activity the day before increases CK and AST; smoking affects hormones; time of day is critical for cortisol and testosterone.
Therefore, a “bad analysis” often turns out to be a consequence of impaired preparation, and not an illness, and leads to unnecessary examinations and prescriptions.
General rules for donating blood
- on an empty stomach 8–12 hours, you can drink water
- Eliminate alcohol and intense exercise per day
- no smoking in an hour
- donate blood before physiotherapy, x-rays and massage
- Take medications in advance by agreeing with your doctor
- for hormones in women, take into account the day of the cycle
How to read the result
Reference values depend on the method and equipment of the laboratory, so it is correct to compare results only within the same laboratory. A deviation of a few percent from the normal limit in itself rarely matters - the overall picture and dynamics are important. It is up to the physician to interpret the analysis: an isolated indicator without a clinical context is often misleading.