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Laboratory Tests in the Patient with Abdominal Pain
Sreeja Natesan1, Elizabeth Barrall Werley2
1Division of Emergency Medicine, Duke University Hospital, PO Box 3096, 2301 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27110, USA.
Abstract:
Abdominal pain is one of the most common presenting complaints to the emergency department (ED). More often than not, some degree of laboratory testing is used to narrow the differential diagnosis based on the patient's history and examination. Ordering practices are often guided by evidence, habit, consulting services, and institutional/regional culture. This review highlights relevant laboratory studies that may be ordered in the ED, as well as commentary on indications and diagnostic value of these tests.
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