http://academic.oup.com/milmed/article-pdf/146/7/506/24126715/milmed-146-7-506.pdf

Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics

The Merck Index of Chemicals and Drugs An Encyclopedia for the Chemist, Pharmacist, Physician and Allied Professions Sixth edition Pp xiv + 1167 (Rahway, NJ: Merck and Company, Inc, 1952) 750 dollars; thumb-indexed, 8 dollars

The Merck Index

BIOCHEMISTRY IN ANAESTHESIA Modern Trends In Anaesthesia. II. Aspects of Hydrogen lon Regulation and Biochemistry in Anaesthesia. Edited by Prankis T. Evans, M.B., B.S., F.R.C.S., F.F.A. R.C.S., and T. Cecil Gray, M.D., FF.A. R.C.S., Hon.F.F.A. R.A.C.S. (Pp. 219+vii; illustrated. 60s.) London: Butterworths. 1962. In this stimulating book a group of experts have written on hydrogen-ion regulation and biochemistry in anaesthesia. This vast subject has been divided rather artificially and only certain aspects of biochemistry have been covered, and the divisions are more related to clinical practice than basic physiology and biochemistry. TIhe sections have been written by specialists in each field; the material they contain is beyond criticism, and there is valuable practical advice. Some chapters are well written, though others are not so easy to read. All are packed with information, and, what is equally valuable, they provide a source of further information for the inquiring mind, for the references and bibliographies are excellent. It is a pleasure to have complicated electrophysics presented in a readable way (\" Measurement of pH and Pco l\"); \"The Cholinesterases\" is an embracing account of difficult physiological and biochemical problems. Throughout the book there is a wealth of valuable material, indeed so much so that at times too much appears to have been attempted within the space available, as in \" Effects of Hypercapnia.\" These are minor criticisms of a good book, or perhaps it would be wiser to call it a collection of papers on chosen subjects, for there is understandably a lack of cohesion among the various chapters, and even some slight overlapping, which renders the whole less valuable than its several parts. No one can read these papers without interest and profit (and occasionally amusement) and they should fulfil the editor's hope that they will stimulate further interest in basic science. The book is well presented; the printing and paper are good, but the price will not encourage widespread use of the book among the younger members of our specialty. G. E. H. ENDEPBY.

Blood Groups in Man.

Blood transfusion in clinical medicine

Red blood cell (RBC) autoantibodies are a relatively uncommon cause of anemia. However, autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) must be considered in the differential diagnosis of hemolytic anemias, especially if the patient has a concomitant lymphoproliferative disorder, autoimmune disease, or viral or mycoplasmal infection. Classifications of AIHA include warm AIHA, cold agglutinin syndrome, paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, mixed-type AIHA, and drug-induced AIHA. Characteristics of the autoantibodies are responsible for the various clinical entities. As a result, diagnosis is based on the clinical presentation and a serologic work-up. For each classification of AIHA, this review discusses the demographics, etiology, clinical presentation, laboratory evaluation, and treatment options.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ajh.10062

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia

Predicting the clinical significance of red cell alloantibodies using a monocyte monolayer assay

The changing spectrum of drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia

A retrospective analysis of the value of monocyte monolayer assay results for predicting the clinical significance of blood group alloantibodies

Serology of antibodies to second‐ and third‐generation cephalosporins associated with immune hemolytic anemia and/or positive direct antiglobulin tests

A simple and objective assay was developed for the detection and quantitation of fetal-maternal hemorrhage with the use of flow cytometry. In vitro prepared control mixtures of 10%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.25%, 0.125%, and 0.06% D+ RBCs in D- RBCs were tested (8-11) different times by flow cytometry and gave mean % D+ results of 11.10%, 1.90%, 0.92%, 0.45%, 0.24%, 0.11%, and 0.05%. The coefficient of variation of preparing and testing these mixtures ranged from 11.0 to 15.9% for the 10-0.125% mixtures. Thus, flow cytometry was accurate, reproducible, and sensitive. Flow cytometry was compared with Du tests, rosette tests, and acid elution. The Du test was highly variable because it was not sensitive enough to detect a significant bleed (approximately 0.6%) in some cases and too sensitive (necessitating quantitation of an insignificant bleed) in others. The rosette test was too sensitive. Acid elution and flow cytometry results did not always agree; acid elution results were approximately twice as high as flow cytometry. The authors believe flow cytometric detection of D+ red blood cells to be more accurate than the detection of fetal hemoglobin by acid elution techniques, which is known to have poor reproducibility. Postpartum samples from 56 D- women who delivered D+ babies were tested. Fifty-two had fetal bleeds less than 0.3% by acid elution and flow cytometry; all had negative Du test results, but there were two false positive results with the use of the rosette technique. Four had significant bleeds (greater than or equal to 0.6%); in all four cases the flow cytometry results were lower than the acid elution results. The authors were able to quantitate a bleed of fetal RBCs, which were D+ only by the Du test, in a D- mother with the use of flow cytometry, and D+ RBCs in a mother whose RBCs were of the rare DVI mosaic phenotype. This would not have been possible with the use of the standard Du or rosette techniques.

Patricia A. Arndt

Papers

Predicting the clinical significance of red cell alloantibodies using a monocyte monolayer assay

The changing spectrum of drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia

A retrospective analysis of the value of monocyte monolayer assay results for predicting the clinical significance of blood group alloantibodies

Serology of antibodies to second‐ and third‐generation cephalosporins associated with immune hemolytic anemia and/or positive direct antiglobulin tests

Quantitation of fetal-maternal hemorrhage by flow cytometry. A simple and accurate method.