Contradictory Phenomenon Between Serum Separator Tube and Plasma Tube: A Case Report.

Separator gels in blood collection tubes are used to separate serum from clotted whole blood or plasma from cells. Here we present a case of a patient with a contradictory phenomenon between the serum separator tube and the plasma tube. The serum separator tube showed mixed serum and separator gel and distinctly less serum. However, the plasma tube showed fewer cells. Laboratory study revealed an IgG level of 78.9 g/L. Serum immunofixation electrophoresis analysis identified the abnormal pattern as a dense IgG band with a corresponding dense light chain band of λ. Bone marrow smear showed 53% proplasmacytes. The patient was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. The marked hyperproteinemia, especially hyperimmunoglobulinemia, may have resulted in the density alteration of serum that was mixed or located above the separator gel. This phenomenon is also seen in patients injected with iodinated radiologic contrast media such as iohexol and in patients on hemodialysis with a concentrated sodium citrate solution.

Mean Platelet Volume Could Reflect Disease Activity of Adult Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, research regarding mean platelet volume (MPV) has been expanded to numerous diseases. The aim of the present study was to assess whether MPV could reflect disease activity of adult patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: A total of 128 adult patients with SLE were enrolled in the present study and allocated into two subgroups (99 with active phase and 29 with inactive phase) according to SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI). Demographic data, MPV, complement 3 (C3), and complement 4 (C4) were recorded. Independent sample t-test was used for comparison of quantitative variables between the active and inactive groups. Pearson's correlation test was used to evaluate the correlation between the above laboratory indices and the SLEDAI score. RESULTS: The mean MPV level in active patients was significantly higher than inactive subjects (8.3 ± 1.3 vs. 7.7 ± 0.7, p < 0.001). The correlation between MPV level and SLEDAI score was moderate (r = 0.520, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: MPV might be a promising marker to reflect disease activity of adult patients with SLE.