["Essential laboratory tests" in primary care medicine--experiences in Comprehensive Medicine, National Defense Medical College].
The "essential laboratory tests" were applied to 1,026 new patients visiting the outpatient unit of Comprehensive Medicine, National Defense Medical College, to determine the usefulness of these tests in primary care medicine. The "essential laboratory tests" have contributed to the establishment of the initial diagnosis or confirmation of the "tentative initial diagnosis", and to the estimation of the nature or degree of seriousness of the disease. In addition, other diseases not related to the patient's chief complaint could be screened in 32% of the new patients examined with these tests. The "essential laboratory tests" were also found to be useful for the estimation of the presence of malignant tumors in 12 patients with various kinds of malignancies as well as the estimation or evaluation for such conditions as infection or inflammation, anemia, liver or renal dysfunction, and the ambulatory screening of metabolic diseases including hyperlipidemia, liver or urinary tract diseases. In conclusion, simultaneous performance of the "essential laboratory tests" with the history taking and the physical examination will provide important medical information in primary care medicine.
Takemura
Y
Y
Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa.
Hayashi
K
K
Kugai
N
N
Sekiguchi
S
S
D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000639:trends; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008487:Medical History Taking; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D010808:Physical Examination; D011320:Primary Health Care