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Rouleaux

Red blood cells present in the blood are normally detached from each other. Rouleaux are clumps of red blood cells that look like stacked plates. They usually form as a result of abnormal quantities of certain proteins (immunoglobulin, fibrinogen) in the blood. Rouleaux are a non-specific indication of the presence of a pathology.

Red blood cell rouleaux are found in chronic inflammatory states and infections, multiple myeloma (excess synthesis of a single class of immunoglobulin by the bone marrow) and sometimes during pregnancy due to increased fibrinogen, the main coagulation protein.

Term of the Week

Predictive medicine

Medicine that links medical knowledge with data to predict a patient’s potential health problems. Examples include artificial intelligence and genetics.