Bacteria or yeast may be observed on peripheral blood smears and may lead to spuriously elevated platelet counts. They have been reported to disturb the white blood cell (WBC) differential count if they clumped together, and a large number of such microorganisms have been shown to increase WBC counts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the spurious rise in WBC counts according to species of microorganisms and automated hematology analyzers. The species we selected were Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. krusei, C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis. We investigated the effects of bacteria and yeast on peripheral blood samples by the ADVIA 120/2120 Hematology System, Sysmex XE-2100 (TOA Medical Electronics, Kobe, Japan) and Coulter LH 750 (Beckman Coulter, Miami, FL, USA). C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. krusei, and C. dubliniensis had an overt effect on the WBC count at concentrations of up to 1-5 x 10(7) colony-forming units (CFU)/mL in three automated cell counters, and C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis, when present at concentrations of 1-5 x 10(8) CFU/mL, caused a significant increase in the WBC count obtained by the Sysmex XE-2100 but not by the ADVIA 120/2120 system and Coulter LH 750 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, yeast may influence the results of peripheral blood smears only when the yeast concentration is unusually high. The results differed among analyzers and among species of yeast. Hematologists should be aware that samples containing bacteria and yeast may give erroneously high WBC counts and differential leukocyte counts and should review the peripheral blood smear by microscopy.
Background : The main causes of thrombocytopenia in cirrhosis are thought to be platelet destruction and the reduction of thrombopoietin (TPO) expression in the liver. Immature platelet fraction (IPF) has been measured by a fully automated analyzer (Sysmex XE-2100, Japan) as reticulated platelet (RP), which is reflected with thrombopoiesis in bone marrow. In this study, we tried to compare the percentage of IPF (IPF) with that of RP (RP) in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and controls.Methods : We compared IPF to RP in 72 liver cirrhosis patients and 30 healthy normal controls. RP was stained with acridine orange, followed by FC500 (Beckman Coulter, USA) analysis and the IPF was identified by flow cytometry with the use of a nucleic acid specific dye in the reticulocyte channel on the Sysmex XE-2100 (TOA Medical Electronics Co., Ltd., Japan).Results : IPF value in the healthy control was 2.2% (1.7-5.2). RP and IPF were significantly higher in the patients with liver cirrhosis (P<0.05). IPF appeared to be correlated with RP (y=0.19x+3.35, r=0.34, P<0.05). In ROC for diagnosis of LC, IPF was significantly more useful than RP.Conclusions : This results show that a rapid, inexpensive automated method for measuring the IPF is feasible and should become a standard parameter in evaluating reticulated platelets. (Korean J Lab Med 2007;27:7-12)
The methionine variant of Val66Met brain-derived neurotrophic factor BDNF met and catecholamine-O-methyltransferase (COMT L) is associated with a deficit in attention and aggravation of delusions in schizophrenia. We hypothesized that the BDNF-COMT gene interaction would affect the symptoms and cognition in schizophrenia. Ninety-six schizophrenic patients and 79 control participants were recruited. The patients who were BDNF met/met x COMT L carriers had the highest scores of delusion of Positive Symptoms and the Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms, word reading of the color word test, and trail-making test B time, compared with the other three genotype interactions. The current results suggest that patients with the BDNF met/met x COMT L allele had more delusional symptoms and poorer cognitive flexibility, compared with the other three genotype interactions.
In Korea, the incidence of malaria has been increasing in the civilian population and in the areas previously considered as noninfected. Malaria can be suspected based on the patient's symptoms and the physical findings at examination. However, for a definitive diagnosis to be made, the malaria parasites or their components must be demonstrated by laboratory tests, which will take time and require expertise. Since general screening tests, such as a complete blood cell count, are always done for patients with a fever, it can be expected that the attention of laboratory hematologists drawn to any abnormalities found in automated hematology analyzers can help reduce delays in the diagnosis of malaria even if such a diagnosis was not initially considered. We report three cases of malaria that had thrombocytopenia and pseudoeosinophilia shown in the Sysmex XE-2100 (TOA Medical Electronics, Kobe, Japan) automated hematology analyzer. It is feasible that the pseudoeosinophilia presented as a result of hemozoin-containing white blood cells may contribute to the diagnosis of malaria, especially for patients unsuspected of the disease.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.