Plasma viscosity (PV) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are tests which can be used as inflammation and tissue injury markers [2, 11]. ESR usage is more extended than PV in clinical laboratories. However ESR may be haematocrit (Ht) dependent and is related with red blood cell (RBC) rheological properties [1], whereas RBC are not involved in PV. We aimed to evaluate retrospectively the im...

BACKGROUND Cellulitis is a common bacterial infection of the superficial skin. Procalcitonin is one of the precursor proteins of calcitonin, its levels are elevated in bacterial infection, and it has been established as a diagnostic marker for severe bacterial infections. OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the clinical usefulness of procalcitonin for predicting disease severity and prognosis of c...

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE To characterize a population of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) according to laboratory aspects, comparing it with other similar cohorts. METHODS Data presented are part of a prospective incident cohort study that evaluated 65 patients with early RA, followed for 36 months from the diagnosis at Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinic of Hospital Universitário de...

DISCUSSION This patient had no family history of movement disorder. He never had seizures or intellectual impairment. His blood examination showed normal complete blood count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate along with a normal antistreptolysin O titre. Movement disorder in this 10-year-old boy (video 1) is characterised by rapid uncoordinated, jerking movements mainly in face, hands and feet...