title: The utility of laboratory screening in medically III patients with psychiatric symptoms.
abstract: The presence of psychiatric illness in general hospital medical inpatients can complicate a patient's clinical course. Currently, there is no standard laboratory work-up recommended for this patient population. To begin to assess the utility of a routine panel of tests, the results of serum vitamin B12 (cobalamin) levels, folate levels, thyroid stimulating hormone levels, and syphilis serology of 349 patients were reviewed. These patients had been admitted to the hospital for nonpsychiatric conditions but either had preexisting psychiatric disturbances or developed a mood spectrum disorder or cognitive spectrum disorder during their hospitalization. The incidence of vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies in these patients was found to be higher than has been reported for the general population. Thus, routine screening for these vitamin deficiencies may be indicated because of their prevalence in this patient population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa 33613, USA. gcatalan@hsc.usf.edu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: O'Dell
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Humphrey
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Fritz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D013972:Thyrotropin; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12