88884-2

LOINC code 88884-2 identifies "Fatty acid omega-3 and omega-6 panel - Serum or Plasma". The terms in this panel are used to monitor the omega-3 and omega-6 levels of patients with known cardiovascular disease and who are on supplemental therapy with omega-3/omega-6 supplements or being evaluated to receive it. Early data suggests healthy levels of omega-3 and omega-6 could have positive health outcomes on patients with age-related macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer and others. Relative intake of omega-6s and omega-3s (omega-6/omega-3) is believed by some researchers to gauge the impact of the development of some chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and cancer, but no ideal ratio has been determined. Similarly, no normal ranges have been defined for serum or plasma phospholipid omega 3s, reported as the percentage of total phospholipid fatty acids by weight. EPA and DHA can be measured as the percentage of total erythrocyte fatty acids and is referred to as the omega-3 index. The omega-3 index is typically 3-5% in individuals living in Western countries that have a low intake of fish in their diet. [https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional/]

This code measures Fatty acid omega-3 & omega-6 panel in Ser/Plas. It belongs to the PANEL.CHEM class in the LOINC classification.

LOINC (Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes) is a universal standard for identifying laboratory and clinical observations. It is maintained by the Regenstrief Institute and used worldwide for health data exchange.