Platelet cold agglutinins: a flow cytometric analysis.

Spontaneous EDTA-independent cold platelet agglutination is a rare phenomenon that produces pseudothrombocytopenia when blood samples are analyzed in automated cell counters. We report a case of platelet cold agglutinins and an analysis by flow cytometry. A 49 year old woman presented with abnormal vaginal bleed secondary to uterine fibroids. Platelet clumping was observed in blood samples taken in EDTA-, heparin- and citrate-containing tubes. In flow cytometric tests, patient serum agglutinated 16% of normal platelets at 22 degrees C, and 7% of platelets after incubation at 37 degrees C; in contrast, 3% and < 1% of platelets were agglutinated at 22 and 37 degrees C, respectively, after incubation with normal serum. Minimal agglutination (< 10%) was observed with patient serum at a titre of 1:5 or at temperatures > 30 degrees C. After incubation at 4 degrees C, IgM antibody and C3 were increased on the patient's platelets; no significant amount of IgM or C3 was detected on normal platelets. The specificity of the platelet cold agglutinin was determined by competitive inhibition by monoclonal anti-CD41(GPIIbIIIa). Before the addition of monoclonal antibody, patient's serum agglutinated 16% of normal platelets at 22 degrees C; after addition of anti-CD41 only 2% of the platelets were agglutinated. This blocking effect was not observed with anti-CD42. The patient's platelets functioned normally as determined by CD62 and CD63 expression in response to thrombin, normal platelet aggregation in response to collagen, ADP, and ristocetin, and a normal template bleeding time. In summary, platelet agglutination by a platelet cold agglutinin was quantitated by flow cytometry, the responsible antibody was characterized as a low titre IgM with minimal activity > 30 degrees C, and competitive binding studies supported the GPIIbIIIa complex as the binding site for the antibody. Since the antibody did not affect platelet function, we believe that these patients will not suffer complications from their platelet cold agglutinin, but it could pose a problem under circumstances such as cardiac surgery with hypothermia.     

Appendizitissonographie durch chirurgen — Erfahrungssache? Eine prospektive studie

A number of studies have shown that ultrasound has an advantage over physical examination in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Most of these studies were conducted by experts in the field of ultrasonography. In this study the influence of experience on the results of the sonography of actue appendicitis were evaluated. All 203 patients admitted to our unit between December 1990 and December 1992 were examined physically and sonographically by a team of surgeons consisting of one experienced sonographer and six inexperienced surgical trainees. Laparotomy was performed in 136 patients (46%). Appendicitis was demonstrated histologically in 119 cases (39.4%). Initial clinical findings were positive in 87 (28.8%). Sonography was positive in 119 patients (39.4%). The 163 patients not operated on demonstrated other pathology on ultrasound in 60 cases (19.9%). The rate of negative laparotomies amounted to 7.2% in our study. Sensitivity and specificity for the sonographic diagnosis were 92% and 95%, respectively. They were only 81% and 80% for physical examination. Overall accuracy was 92% for sonography. Sensitivity and specificity for the inexperienced surgeons were 87% and 93%, respectively, while the experienced surgeon reached values of 97% and 98%, respectively. The results of both groups are comparable with values in the literature, suggesting that ultrasound evaluation of appendicitis is not a diagnostic tool limited to a few experienced sonographers.     

Quantitative study of the immunoglobulin-containing cells in trephine samples of bone marrow

Immunoglobulin (Ig) was demonstrated in paraffin sections of 12 trephine bone marrow biopsies by means of the unlabelled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method. The Ig-containing cells, which were counted with the Reichert-Jung (Kontron) MOP-AMO₃ user-controlled image-analyser, were found to constitute approximately 4·2% of all the nucleated cells in the marrow, a figure significantly higher than those reported by previous workers.