REPLY TO QUESTIONS...

This entry is to answer questions from Kang Ting and Andre... It's easier to clarify here.

Kang Ting:
eh... i only saw it once. Only remembered that the background is pink (d/t lysed RBC), and the presence of parasites is identify by tiny blue granule-like pigment found in the WBC. As there are 4 major species and various stages of a malaria parasite infection, the morphology varies. It is hard to describe them now because i haven't really see all yet. Maybe when i get to be stationed in Haematology again, I'll put up another post to explain this further.

Andre:
Normally the patient has to fast for at least 8 hours overnight before the blood test. Due to glycolysis, the plasma should be separated from the RBC within 60 min for an accurate measurement of GHB. If the sample is received from another hospital/clinic or it is in-housed but for some reasons (lunch break etc), a fluoride tube should be used as it contains glycotic inhibitor.

Fluoride tube: The glucose concentration is stable in whole blood (no separation of plasma from RBC) for 72 hours at room temperature.
Red/Plain tube: After separation of serum from RBC, the glucose concentration is stable for 8 hours at 25 °C and 72 hours at 4 °C.

Hence, the difference in tubes depends on the delivery of the specimens to the lab. , how fast the specimens can be processed and how long to archive the samples.


For more info, pls read: Guidelines and Recommendations for Laboratory Analysis in the Diagnosis and Management of Diabetes Mellitus


Answer to my own question: How to differentiate a male PBF from a female?
Look at the neutrophils closely. You should be able to see a "drumstick" sticking out from the side of the nucleus for the female. But for the male, no (just have to be caution of pseudodrumstick). That's the difference.



-Pei Shan-