Chloride Test Price in Dolamundai

Test Description

Serum Chloride (Cl⁻) is the major extracellular anion, working alongside sodium and bicarbonate to maintain osmolality, electroneutrality, and acid-base homeostasis. Normal serum chloride: 98–106 mEq/L. Chloride is freely filtered by the glomerulus and reabsorbed in the tubules, and its measurement is essential in the evaluation of metabolic acid-base disorders. In metabolic alkalosis, chloride is low (hypochloraemia), because hydrogen ion (H⁺) loss (from vomiting or nasogastric drainage) is accompanied by chloride loss, while bicarbonate rises to maintain electroneutrality. In normal anion gap metabolic acidosis (hyperchloraemic metabolic acidosis), chloride is elevated (hyperchloraemia) and bicarbonate is proportionately reduced. Causes of hyperchloraemic acidosis include renal tubular acidosis (RTA types 1, 2, 4), excessive saline infusion (dilutional hyperchloraemic acidosis), ureterosigmoidostomy, and diarrhoea (loss of bicarbonate-rich fluid with chloride retention). The serum chloride value is integral to calculating the anion gap (AG = Na⁺ − [Cl⁻ + HCO₃⁻]; normal 8–12 mEq/L with albumin correction): elevated AG acidosis suggests accumulation of unmeasured anions (ketoacids, lactic acid, uraemic anions, toxins), while normal AG hyperchloraemic acidosis directs toward tubular or GI bicarbonate loss. Chloride is routinely measured as part of the basic electrolyte panel alongside sodium, potassium, and bicarbonate.