Pericarditis...

[katelyle]

My brother was admitted to hospital with pericarditis a month or so ago. He was sent home after 4 days. He then had a follow up out patients appointment for blood tests. He has been hassling the hospital for the results, and yesterday got a letter from the consultant saying "The antinuclear factor is still positive, although more specific tests for the antinuclear factor have in fact been negative and normal." Does this make sense to anyone - it seems completely contradictory to me! Help! Please?

they could have worded it a lot better imho.

from a (very) lay-person pov, it seems that the "factor" in his blood around the pericardium (part of the heart's lining?) that they are looking at - the general (?) tests they are usinbg suggests that the factor is still positive. but he more ^specific" tests (those that look closer) suggests normality.

or even (in english, fm!) that the original general tests were too general, whereas the more focussed test (specific ones) show more of what's happening.

oh bugger.

did any of that make sense????????

Thank you, fransmom - that's more or less what I thought too - glad to have it confirmed. Still doesn't mean much, does it -why on earth can't they write English!!!!! trouble is, brother is one of those "I'm sure they'll tell me what I need to now" types. Me, i want all the facts!

lol me too! i need to know all the facts of what i'm dealing with and boy, if someone tells me that's on a need-to-know-basis - i think what are they hiding????!!!!!!!!

how are things nowe? ok i hope x