Don’t request erythrocyte sedimentation rate to screen asymptomatic patients or as a general test to look for inflammatory states in patients with undiagnosed conditions.
C-reactive protein (CRP) is more sensitive, specific and rapid in the acute phase of inflammation. CRP should be preferred to detect both the onset and resolution of a systemic inflammatory state.
Don’t request uric acid as part of routine assessment of cardiovascular risk, obesity or diabetes.
The association between uric acid and the risk of major cardiovascular events and/or cardiovascular mortality has long been studied, but the cost-effectiveness of pharmacological reduction of asymptomatic hyperuricemia of this strategy in preventing cardiovascular...
Don’t request blood ammonium measurement for diagnosis or management of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in patients with chronic hepatopathy.
High blood ammonium alone adds no information in the diagnosis, staging, and prognosis of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in patients with chronic hepatopathy, and ammonium concentration rarely correlates with symptoms severity and outcomes.
Don’t measure procalcitonin outside of evidence-based protocols defined by professional Societies or at the health organization/regional/national level.
Procalcitonin (PCT) has been proposed to discriminate infections and in, particular, bacterial sepsis from viral and other causes and to reduce antibiotic prescribing. The heterogeneity of measurement methods, adopted cut-offs and recommended protocols have greatly...The campaign DOING MORE DOES NOT MEAN DOING BETTER – CHOOSING WISELY ITALY is promoted by Italy’s Slow Medicine
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