Two criteria must be diagnose AIHA: serologic evidence of an autoantibody and clinical or laboratory evidence of hemolysis. Serologic evidence of an autoantibody is provided by positive autocontrol and direct antiglobulin test (DAT, direct Coombs´ test) results and subsequent identification of an autoantibody in the RBC eluate and possibly the serum. Serum reactivity with autologous RBCs generally indicates the presence of an autoantibody, but it does not exclude the presence of an autoantibody.
Criteria
Diagnostic Criteria for Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome (ALPS)
Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) is characterized by dysregulation of the immune system due to an inability to regulate lymphocyte homeostasis through the process of lymphocyte apoptosis (a form of programmed cell death). The consequences of this include lymphoproliferative disease, manifested by lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and an increased risk of lymphoma, as well as autoimmune disease, typically involving blood cells.
Diagnostic Criteria for Thyroid Storm
Burch and Wartofsky have delineated a point system assessing degrees of dysfunction in various systems (thermoregulatory, central nervous, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular).
Diagnostic Criteria for Small Fibre Neuropathy (SFN)
Small fiber neuropathy manifests in a variety of different diseases and often results in symptoms of burning pain, shooting pain, allodynia, and hyperesthesia.
Clinical Criteria for Bell’s Palsy (Idiopathic Facial Nerve Paralysis)
Bell’s palsy is a peripheral palsy of the facial nerve that results in muscle weakness on one side of the face.
Dose Equivalence Table for Opioid Analgesics
Equianalgesic tables aid the clinician in making these conversions by providing a rough estimate for starting doses of the new opioid that may produce approximately the same amount of analgesia. Morphine (10 mg IM) is the gold standard to which all other opioids are compared.
Diagnostic Criteria for Refractory Ascites
Refractory ascites is defined as ascites that does not recede or that recurs shortly after therapeutic paracentesis, despite sodium restriction and diuretic treatment.
Indications for Selective Operative Cholangiography
Selective intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) during laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe practice when the ductal anatomy is clearly defined and there is no laboratory or clinical evidence of common bile duct abnormalities.
Diagnostic Criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)
Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis that develops in some people with the skin condition psoriasis. It typically causes affected joints to become inflamed (swollen), stiff and painful.
Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for Hospital-Acquired (or Nosocomial) Pneumonia (HAP)
Acute nosocomial pneumonia is broadly defined as pneumonia characterized by a new and persistent infiltrate (radiographically present for greater than 48 hours) PLUS one of the following: