CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF BIOLOGICAL FALSE POSITIVE SEROLOGIC REACTOR - A STUDY OF 113 CASES

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  • 1 January 1963
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 88  (24) , 1193-+
Abstract
Biological false positive serolgic reactors were studied during a long-term follow-up of asymptomatic patients with chronic false positive serology for syphilitic reagin. This was done with a view to facilitating the early diagnosis of systemic disease, particularly collagen disorders, which are frequently associated with this finding in women. 113 cases were studied. 38 were "acute", i.e. positive for less than 6 months, 58 were "chronic", i.e. positive for more than 6 months, and the remainder still positive but followed for less than 6 months. Of 39 female chronic reactors, 10 were diagnosed as having collagen disease, and in the 6 BFP reaction preceded clinical diagnosis of the disease. 5 had no apparent disease. In 19 male chronic reactors, there was no evidence of collagen disorders and 5 were free of any recognizable pathology. The remainder in both sexes were found to have a wide variety of systemic illnesses.