Value of routine multiple blood tests in patients attending the general practitioner.

The paper describes the investigation of 296 patients selected at random from those attending the general practitioners' surgery and studied by means of multiple biochemical and haematological tests. The tests that would not normally have been requested led to a new diagnosis of clinical significance in 16.9% of patients, in most instances requiring an alteration of the patient's therapy. The effect of the profile tests on patient follow-up, referral of patients to hospital, and the need for subsequent investigations was studied by comparing the patients profiled with a control group of patients not having a blood profile. The place of such an investigation in general practice is considered.