title: Detection of cryoglobulins by Coulter Counter model S-Plus IV/D.
abstract: Cryoglobulins may produce interference in results from electronic particle counters. Depending on their size, cold-precipitable globulin crystals can be counted as leucocytes and/or platelets. The Coulter Counter model S-Plus IV/D permits detection of this interference and its associated spurious counts by producing a characteristic WBC histogram accompanied by a leucocyte 'flag'. Using this instrument over a 1-year period, 10 cases of cryoglobulinaemia were detected, four from patients with lymphoproliferative disease and one from a patient with autoimmune disease. The remaining five were classified as essential mixed cryoglobulinaemia. The reproducibility of this instrument anomaly permits identification of the presence of cryoglobulins.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Analisi, Istituto Scientifico S. Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Banfi
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bonini
mesh_terms: D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000175:diagnosis; D003450:Cryoglobulins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000295:instrumentation; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count / Q000295:instrumentation
chemical_list: D003450:Cryoglobulins