SIMPLIFIED METHOD FOR THE L. E. CELL TEST

Abstract

THE DESCRIPTION by Hargraves of the L. E. cell five years ago gave a great impetus to the study of systemic lupus erythematosus.¹ The frequency of the disease and the variability of its clinical picture have since been emphasized by numerous workers using the L. E. test to verify their diagnosis. It is the purpose of this paper to present a simplified technique for the production of L. E. cell preparations which has been in use at the Los Angeles County General Hospital for three years and to compare its results with others in general use. In my experience the test is pathognomonic if positive.² Since we began utilizing this method, the diagnosis of lupus has increased four-fold at this hospital. Negative preparations occur in 30% of typical clinical cases of systemic lupus erythematosus.^2d Our experience with this technique in a series of 72 cases of lupus