Five Years' Evaluation of the BD ProbeTec System for the Direct Molecular Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex in Respiratory and Nonrespiratory Clinical Samples.

In this study, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex was detected by BD ProbeTec ET system in 4716 respiratory and 167 nonrespiratory samples [mostly (98%) smear negative). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 81.8%, 98.

Increased erythropoietin levels in reactive thrombocytosis.

Erythropoietin, the major humoral regulator of red cell production, was reported to stimulate various levels of megakaryocytopoiesis. We investigated levels of thrombopoietin (TPO) and erythropoietin (EPO) in patients with reactive thrombocytosis (RT) and clonal thrombocytosis (CT). 17 patients with RT and 18 patients with CT and 15 healthy subjects were enrolled into the study.

Serum beta 2-microglobulin reflects disease activity in Behçet's disease.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a systemic remitting vasculitis characterized by orogenital ulceration and uveitis. The disease is not associated with specific laboratory abnormalities. Hence, the activity of BD is generally assessed by clinical findings and--to some extent--by nonspecific markers of inflammation.