title: Best practice in primary care pathology: review 6.
abstract: This sixth best practice review examines four series of common primary care questions in laboratory medicine: (1) laboratory monitoring in hypertension and heart failure abnormalities; (2) markers of inflammatory joint disease; (3) laboratory investigation of chronic diarrhoea; and (4) mumps and chickenpox. The review is presented in question-answer format, referenced for each question series. The recommendations represent a precis of guidance found using a standardised literature search of national and international guidance notes, consensus statements, health policy documents and evidence-based medicine reviews, supplemented by Medline Embase searches to identify relevant primary research documents. They are not standards but form a guide to be set in the clinical context. Most are consensus based rather than evidence based. They will be updated periodically to take account of new information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, Bishop Auckland General Hospital, Cockton Hill Road, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, UK. info@smellie.com
authors.forename: W S A
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Smellie
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Forth
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Irvine
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Dore
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Handley
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Galloway
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Herriot
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Spickett
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Reynolds
mesh_terms: D001168:Arthritis / Q000175:diagnosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000175:diagnosis; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy; D009107:Mumps / Q000175:diagnosis; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000379:methods*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers