Dictionary > Capillary fragility test

Capillary fragility test

Definition
noun
A tourniquet test that is used to determine vitamin C (ascorbic acid) deficiency or thrombocytopenia
Supplement
The capillary fragility test is a test using a blood pressure cuff. The cuff is applied for five minutes to the arm of a person and inflated to a pressure halfway between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Petechiae within the circumscribed skin area are then counted 1 Ten petechiae per square inch is considered normal, ten to twenty, marginal. Petechiae that are more than twenty per square inch are beyond the acceptable normal range and therefore the test indicates positive to vitamin C deficiency or thrombocytopenia.
This test used to be incorporated by the WHO as part of the algorithm for the diagnosis of dengue fever.2 However, because of the low sensitivity of the test, this is no longer recommended in the recent WHO guidance in the classification test for dengue haemorraghic fever.
Synonym(s):

  • tourniquet test
  • capillary resistance test
  • vitamin c test
  • rumpel-leede test (sign)

See also:

  • Bandage sign

Reference(s):

1 tourniquet test. (n.d.) Mosby’s Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. (2009). Retrieved from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/tourniquet+test

2 WHO (2009). Dengue: Guidelines for Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention and Control. Retrieved from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241547871-eng.pdf


You will also like...

complete-dominance
Dominance

This tutorial presents Gregor Mendel's law of dominance. Learn more about this form of inheritance and how it can be pre..

human brain structure
The Conscious & Unconscious Nervous System

This tutorial elaborates on how the nervous system works, particularly at the tissue level of the brain. There are three..

A sperm cell fertilizing an ovum
Human Reproduction and Fertilization

For human species to obviate extinction, reproductive mature adults should be producing viable offspring in order to con..

Plant Auxins
Plant Auxins – Phototropism & Geotropism

Plants produce hormones to regulate their growth. Auxins, for instance, influence plant growth. Know the role of auxin i..

Non-Mendelian Inheritance
Non-Mendelian Inheritance

In this tutorial, find out more about certain types of inheritance that does not follow the Mendelian inheritance patter..

"Opabinia regalis"
The Evolutionary Development of Multicellular Organisms

Multicellular organisms evolved. The first ones were likely in the form of sponges. Multicellularity led to the evolutio..

Related Articles...

No related articles found

See all Related Topics