Fasting is no longer required prior to blood draws for lipid tests, according to a consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society and European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. Standard practice in most countries today calls for patients to fast for at least 8 hours prior to having blood drawn.
• Helicobacter pylori is an extremely pervasive bacterium that infects up to 70-90% of individuals in developing countries. H. pylori infection is the principal cause of peptic ulcer disease and the primary risk factor for gastric carcinoma; ~15% of patients with long-term infection will develop one or the other sequel.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common rheumatic disease of uncertain etiology with a significant level of morbidity. Despite decades of study and the development of a series of classification criteria, the diagnosis of RA remains empirical and imprecise, particularly early in the course of disease. Because early initiation of disease modifying treatments can significantly improve long term outcomes for patients with RA, there is considerable motivation to accurately diagnose RA.
is released from neutrophils and monocytes during cellular activation (or death) at sites of active inflammation, and accounts for upto 60% of the enzymatic degradation and can be detected in stool samples kept at room temperature for up to 7 days.
