Caeruloplasmin, also written as Ceruloplasmin, effectively means a copper-containing protein. At the same time the test itself may be simply referred to as Caeruloplasmin. The Caeruloplasmin test is one designed to check on the levels of this particular protein. The part of the body tested here would be the serum which is the clear liquid portion of one’s blood.
The Caeruloplasmin test is typically recommended if the doctor is under the impression that copper related disorders are present. This could be a matter of you displaying signs of a copper storage or possibly a copper metabolism disorder. For instance symptoms of fatigue, and behavioral changes in addition to certain other Wilson’s disease symptoms such as, tremors and jaundice could prompt your physician to order a Caeruloplasmin test. However, this test will not be the only one, since typically Caeruloplasmin test will also be accompanied by other tests so as to properly diagnose Wilson’s disease. It is much rarer when it comes to use in diagnosing problems linked to copper deficiencies.
For the Caeruloplasmin test, unlike other tests, no preparation such as refraining from liquids or staying away from food is deemed necessary. The test results for this copper-containing protein will not be influenced by anything you ingest.
The Caeruloplasmin test involves drawing of blood. There is no special means of getting that blood sample, which is obtained via the usual method involving a needle and tube or vial. A thing to remember about Caeruloplasmin results is that laboratories may have minor differences in what is considered regular Caeruloplasmin range of values. For a thorough look at your Caeruloplasmin results, the health care practitioner has to be consulted. Remember that abnormal values of this protein are only indicative of disorders, which mandate further investigation by a qualified doctor.
To give you an idea, lower values of Caeruloplasmin could mean that you have certain extremely rare conditions such as Menkes' syndrome or possibly Wilson's copper storage disease. Higher levels as compared to the normal Caeruloplasmin range could mean more common conditions such as Rheumatoid arthritis, various infections in addition to Lymphoma. At the same time, pregnancy could also cause greater values of this copper-containing protein. Thus, your doctor may need further tests following Caeruloplasmin to confirm any disease diagnosis. As mentioned earlier Caeruloplasmin is normally not recommend without other tests like urine copper tests in the first place since diagnosis is tricky.