Clinical Condition or Context First stage test(s) Second stage test(s) More specialised test(s)
Acute inflammation FBC, ESR, C-reactive protein Urine mcs, U&E, LFT  
Alopecia TFT, iron studies, antinuclear factor, ESR Fungal microscopy and culture Skin biopsy
Amenorrhoea Quantitative HCG, Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Luteinsing Hormone TFT, oestradiol, prolactin  
Ante-natal screen (before 20 weeks) FBC, blood group & antibodies, Rubella, Syphilis, HIV, Hepatitis B & C serology, urine mcs, cervical cytology   Maternal serum antenatal screening programme (triple test)
Ante-natal screen (for 26 - 28 Weeks) Blood group & antibodies, glucose tolerance test    
Ante-natal screen (for 30 - 36 Weeks) FBC, group B Streptococcus screen    
Anti-coagulant therapy (initial monitoring of warfarin therapy) INR    
Arthritis Serum uric acid, rheumatoid factor, antinuclear factor, extractable nuclear antigen, ESR, C-reactive protein HLA B27, complement, faeces mcs, Ross River virus serology, Barmah Forest virus serology, Hepatitis C serology PCR/serology for Bordetella pertussis, PCR/serology for influenza A & B & parainfluenza & respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus PCR, Q Fever serology, Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture, iron studies
Atypical pneumonia / chronic cough Sputum mcs, Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture, Legionella serology and culture, serology for Mycoplasma & Chlamydophila PCR/Serology for Bortetella pertussis, respiratory viral serology, Q Fever serology  
Bleeding tendency FBC, INR, APTT, fibrinogen, LFT Platelet function analysis, coagulation factor studies, platelet aggregation  
Chest pain Troponin, Creatine Kinase Repeat first stage tests  
Dementia FBC, ESR, U&E, TFT Vitamin B12, red cell folate, Syphilis serology, blood lead  
Depression FBC, fasting blood glucose, TFT Serum cortisol, urine drug screen  
Diabetes monitoring HBA1c, urine albumin, lipids, U&E    
Diarrhoea Faeces mcs x2 (Due to HIC requirements only one culture and two microscopies can be performed in 7 days) Reducing substances, Clostridium difficile toxin, rotavirus, adenovirus Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, urine hydroxy indole acetic acid, bowel biopsy
Erectile dysfunction Testosterone, luteinsing hormone, LFT Fasting blood glucose, iron studies, lipids  
Fatigue / weakness FBC, TFT, U&E, LFT Serum calcium, iron studies, EBV serology, Ross River virus serology, Barmah Forest virus serology Creatine kinase, antinuclear factor, acetylcholine receptor antibody, short synacthen stimulation test
Gynaecomastia LFT, U&E, TFT Testosterone, luteinsing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone Urine drug screen (especially THC), prolactin, fine needle aspiration
Hepatomegaly +/- Liver Dysfunction FBC, LFT, Hepatitis A, B & C screen Iron studies, CMV serology, EBV serology Fasting blood glucose, lipids, antinuclear factor, serum alpha-foetoprotein, carcinoembryonic antigen, Malarial parasites, Hydatid serology, Q Fever serology
Hirsutism Testosterone, free testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinsing hormone Urine cortisol, 17 hydroxy progesterone  
Hyperlipidaemia Lipids, HDL cholesterol, fasting blood glucose LFT, TFT, U&E  
Hypertension Urine mcs, fasting blood glucose, U&E TFT, urine catecholamines, urine cortisol Aldosterone/renin
Infertility – female Oestradiol, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinsing hormone Prolactin, TFT, serum cortisol Testosterone, free testosterone, 17 hydroxy progesterone, chromosome studies (blood)
Infertility – male Semen analysis Testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinsing hormone, fasting blood glucose, prolactin Chromosome studies (blood), iron studies, sperm antibodies, testicular biopsy
Lymphadenopathy FBC, ESR, EBV serology, CMV serology, Toxoplasma serology Angiotensin converting enzyme, Syphilis serology, HIV serology Fine needle aspiration +/- flow cytometry, tissue culture
Malabsorption, failure to thrive FBC, urine mcs, reducing substances, faeces mcs (including fat globules) Vitamin B12, LFT, HIV serology, iron studies Immunoglobulin A & G & M, serum carotene, GAD antibodies, endomysial antibody, small bowel biopsy
Obesity Fasting blood glucose, TFT, urine cortisol Lipids Dexamethasone suppression test
Peripheral neuropathy Vitamin B12, fasting blood glucose, U&E LFT, porphyrin screen (urine or faeces) Heavy metals (lead, arsenic, thallium)
Pharyngitis Throat swab, FBC, monospot EBV serology Streptococcal serology
Polyuria Fasting blood glucose, U&E, urine mcs Osmolality (serum and urine) Water deprivation test
Pyrexia of Unknown Origin FBC, ESR, C-reactive protein, LFT, urine mcs Blood cultures, angiotensin converting enzyme, Malarial parasites, faeces mcs CMV serology, EBV serology, Brucella serology, Q Fever serology, Toxoplasma serology, Syphilis serology, Dengue Fever serology, HIV serology, Leprospirosis serology, Beta 2 microglobulin
Recurrent / persistent infections (immune deficiency) FBC, ESR, immunoglobulin A & G & M, protein EPG, HIV serology Fasting blood glucose, complement, lymphocyte surface markers (blood)  
Renal impairment / failure Urine mcs, urine albumin, U&E, LFT, fasting blood glucose, prostatic specific antigen, serum uric acid Creatinine clearance, urine protein Antinuclear factor
Splenomegaly FBC, ESR, LFT, rhematoid factor Hepatitis B & C serology, INR, APTT, fibrinogen, angiotensin converting enzyme, antinuclear factor, EBV serology, CMV serology, HIV serology Malarial parasites, Mantoux test, flow cytometry (blood), osmotic fragility
Suspected illicit drug usage Urine drug screen, LFT Hepatitis B & C serology, HIV serology  
Thrombotic tendency / investigation of DVT FBC, INR, APTT, fibrinogen, lupus anti-coagulant, anti-cardiolipin antibodies, prothrombin gene mutation, protein C and S, anti-thrombin III    
Tumour markers Carcinoembryonic antigen, CA 125, CA 19-9 Serum alpha-foetoprotein, HCG (tumour marker), CA 15.3 BRCA2 (breast cancer gene)
Urethritis Urethral swab, PCR for Chamydia and gonorrhoea Syphilis serology, HIV serology, Herpes simplex PCR  
Weight Loss FBC, TFT, U&E LFT, fasting blood glucose Short synacthen stimulation test, carcinoembryonic antigen, CA 125, CA 19-9