![]() Unlike ESR, PV is unaffected by anemia and polycythemia, can differentiate between protein abnormalities and inflammatory processes, and is less susceptible to pre-analytical and physiological variables. Plasma viscosity testing has many advantages over the traditional ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate). Determining PV levels in these patients allows for monitoring of disease progression and/or treatment success, making it vital. Hyperviscosity causes damage to the endothelium and is a known contributing risk factor for thrombosis. Myocardial infarction can occur if left untreated. In particular, it is essential to monitor PV levels regularly in cases of Waldenström macroglobulinaemia, which is attributed to an elevated production of paraproteins and can escalate to what is known as ‘hyperviscosity syndrome.’ This syndrome presents with neurological abnormalities, visual aberration, and mucosal bleeding. Plasma viscosity testing is useful in diagnosing and monitoring conditions, including temporal arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. These fundamentally provide an indirect measure of infection, inflammation and malignancy. Together with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP), PV provides a measure of acute-phase response essentially an early inflammatory response that is associated with an increase in plasma proteins and fibrinogen. Prior to the emergence of COVID-19, plasma viscosity (PV) testing has been commonplace for many years, albeit in larger specialist referral laboratories. At present, there is no blood test for virus severity. Reports reveal that 20% of positive cases are asymptomatic, 14% are severe and needing medical attention, and 5% require critical care. Symptoms range from cough, pyrexia and loss of taste/smell, to severe respiratory disorders, cytokine storm, microclot formation and multi-organ failure. 1 Originally designated 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCOV), the World Health Organization (WHO) formally named the disease COVID-19 with the causative virus responsible being termed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The emergence of a novel pneumonia-inducing condition was reported in Wuhan, China, in late 2019, resulting in an unprecedented global pandemic, infecting at least 140 million people and responsible for more than 3 million deaths worldwide. Plasma viscosity levels are significantly increased in patients testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, and an inexpensive, accurate test aids in identifying positive cases and monitoring disease progression.
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