Glossary of Terms

A1C

Hemoglobin A1C A measure of average blood sugar level over a 3 to 4 month period of time

Abdominal Ultrasound

A test using radio waves to look at the organs in the abdomen, including the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen Performed in the Radiology Department

Albumin/Creatinine Ratio

A test for protein in the urine, which could signify kidney damage

Arginine Tolerance Test

Arginine is a protein that activates insulin production Arginine is injected and blood is drawn to test for insulin production This test is done before the transplant to confirm that the patient does not produce insulin, and after an islet transplant to test how much insulin is produced

Body Mass Index (BMI)

A value calculated by comparing height and weight used to determine if weight is within a healthy range compared to height

C-peptide

“Preinsulin” breaks down into C-peptide and insulin, therefore C-peptide is an indirect measurement of insulin production

Clinical Trial

A research study involving humans that is overseen by the FDA An IND is submitted to and approved by the FDA before a clinical trial can be conducted

Complete Blood Count

A blood test to check the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin This test can detect anemia, infection, leukemia, clotting disorders, and other problems

Comprehensive Metabolic Profile

A blood test that measures chemicals in the blood such as electrolytes, liver enzymes, and kidney waste products This test provides, among other things, information about liver and kidney function

Creatinine Clearance

A test that measures efficiency of the kidneys and uses a 24 hour urine collection

Dobutamine Stress Echo (DSE )

A test to check heart function Patients are given a drug that makes the heart beat rapidly A cardiologist will then use an ultrasound to examine the heart and to look for areas of the heart that may have decreased blood supply

EKG

electrocardiogram A tracing of the electrical activity in the heart that can detect heart damage

FDA

The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation

Glucose Tolerance Test

A test to measure the body’s response to glucose This test is done after the Arginine Tolerance Test using the same IV lines

Guaiac

A test to check for blood in the stool, which could be an indication of cancer in the bowel or a bleeding stomach ulcer

HLA Antibody Test

A blood test for antibodies to tissue antigens These are only present in people who have received transplants, blood transfusions, or who have been pregnant

Immunosuppressants

A class of drugs that are given to transplant patients to prevent the body from rejecting transplanted tissue or organs

Informed Consent

a document approved by the Institutional Review Board and signed by the research patient that discloses to the patient all the risks, benefits, purposes, duration, contacts, etc of the research study

IND

Investigational New Drug application is submitted to the FDA to obtain permission to perform a clinical trial

IRB

Institutional Review Board is the research oversight committee charged with assuring that appropriate steps are taken to protect the rights and welfare of humans participating as subjects in approved research studies

Hyperglycemia

Abnormally high blood sugar level

Hypoglycemia

Abnormally low blood sugar level

Ketoacidocis or Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

A serious and life-threatening complication in people with type 1 diabetes The body starts to break down stored fat for energy A byproduct of this breakdown is ketones, which are toxic

Lipid Profile

A blood test that measures the amount and type of cholesterol in the blood

Pap Smear

A test to check for evidence of cervical cancer in females

TB Skin Test

A test done to check if a person has ever been exposed to tuberculosis Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that could become active in a person taking immunosuppressants

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)

A blood test to check for prostate cancer in males

Retinal Fundal Photography

An examination of the retina in the eye Retinal damage is common in diabetes

Serologies

A “slang” term for the blood tests that check for infectious viral diseases including syphilis, hepatitis, HIV, chickenpox, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus Any of these infections could be made worse by immunosuppressive drugs

Serum Creatinine

Creatinine is a waste product that is excreted by the kidneys This blood test provides us information about your kidney function

Toxicology

A blood test to screen for the presence of commonly abused drugs such as cocaine, heroin, opium, marijuana, and amphetamines

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