The Medical Media Review

Tag: Multiple myeloma

  • Laboratory Findings in Multiple Myeloma

    Laboratory Findings in Multiple Myeloma

    Multiple myeloma is associated with more laboratory abnormalities than any other disease. Some of the notable ones are: Blood Peripheral blood smear: normocytic, normochromic anemia, macrocytic anemia, rouleaux formation, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, abnormal plasma cells (15%) High Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) High serum total protein and low albumin/globulin ratio Septicemia: especially from encapsulated organisms, which are…

  • How to Spot a Falsely Normal Anion Gap

    Introduction A high anion gap metabolic acidosis can be a very dangerous acid-base abnormality. The “gap” itself is just a number – it isn’t harmful per se. Rather, the danger is from the acidosis and from the process that is generating the abnormal and excessive organic acid load. The most common screening test for high anion gap…