The term prenatal diagnosis includes all diagnostic modalities aimed at detecting a congenital anomaly during pregnancy that includes structural or functional disorders. A percentage of them are due to genetic factors. This document intends to detail the current indications of invasive and non-invasive tests, describe the laboratory tests used in the prenatal diagnosis of genetic alterations, and propose work schemes for the study of these genetic alterations.
Protein-energy wasting and chronic inflammation in renal patients are related to an increase in mortality, as well as the occurrence of unresponsive anaemia and mineral and bone disease. The increase in oxidative stress, in which selenium plays a role, is among the causes of malnutrition and inflammation. The relationship between plasma or serum selenium and malnutrition and inflammation in adult patients undergoing renal replacement therapy is investigated.
Cross-sectional observational study that included 85 plasma specimens from patients on dialysis, and 118 from control subjects. Selenium and biochemical markers of nutrition, inflammation, and co-morbidities were measured. The comparisons were using Mann-Whitney, ANOVA and chi-squared tests. Correlations were estimated using Spearman's Rho.
The median selenium was 58.2 μg/L in the patient group, and 89.3 μg/L in the control group (p < .001). Selenium correlated with albumin (Rho = 0.440), cholesterol (Rho = 0.278) and creatinine (Rho = 0.367) in the patient group. Patients classification based on selenium level led to significant differences between the 2 groups in time on dialysis (p < .018), albumin (p < .003), creatinine (p < .004), cholesterol (p < .038) and phosphate (p < .025).
Selenium positively correlates with nutritional markers in the group of patient group. According to selenium level, there are 2 populations differentiated by nutritional status and time on dialysis. Plasma selenium is a potentially useful marker for protein-energy wasting diagnosis.
Candida infections are one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants, and especially in preterm infants of very low birth weight (less than 1,500 g).
A review is presented on Candida infections in neonatology, neonatal intensive care units in preterm infants of very low birth weight and the advantages and disadvantages of the use of prophylaxis, mainly with fluconazole, and the associated risk factors.
The use of prophylaxis is not a practice used systematically in all hospitals or in all neonatal intensive care units. Its implementation depends on the incidence of Candida infection, the associated mortality, and the particular characteristics of the hospital.
Based on scientific evidence, the use of antifungal prophylaxis is not routinely suggested in all preterm infants (grade 2B). This is reserved for neonates weighing less than 1,000 g in centres with a high incidence of fungal infection. Also, in these cases the use of fluconazole against other antifungals is suggested due to the greater and more robust evidence.
25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] is considered a marker of general health and its deficiency is a problem worldwide. There is still no consensus to define their optimal levels, with it being necessary to establish them for each population according to their ethnic characteristics and environmental factors to which they are exposed.
To determine the reference intervals for 25(OH)D in the native and apparently healthy population of Yucatan.
The study included 71 apparently healthy volunteers, female and male, between one and 65 years old, and originally from Yucatan. Serum levels of 25(OH)D were measured along with the determination of calcium, phosphorus, and parathormone levels due to their relationship with vitamin D metabolism. Reference intervals were calculated using parametric and robust methods. The skin phototype was recorded and the Garabedian test was applied to determine the daily intake of calcium and vitamin D.
The mean value of 25(OH)D was 23.49 ± 5.60 ng/mL. The reference limits for total and gender-related 25(OH)D, and by gender were narrower and significantly different from those proposed by the manufacturer. A direct correlation was found between 25(OH)D levels and serum calcium (r = 0.36; P = .003) and an inverse one with intact parathormone (r = −0.44; P < .001). A diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is not sufficient to maintain the normal requirements of 25(OH)D in this population.
The proposed reference intervals are adequate to the peculiarities of the population of Yucatan and could improve the accuracy of health status measurement based on serum levels of vitamin D.
This document describes the most frequent causes of error in the measurement of 13 serum protein tumour markers in their different phases: preanalytical, analytical and 14 postanalytic and recommendations to detect and solve problems, as well as the 15 interpretation of the results of the Tumor Markers in clinical practice.
The aim of this study is to describe the applicability and the results obtained by applying an analysis model of the use of laboratory diagnostics resources based on the distribution of patients in the emergency department made through the structured triage systems. This model allows studying whether or not they are used efficiently.
A database was compiled according to the triage level (TL) of the total number of emergency visits in 2017 (185,128) and requests for laboratory analyses in 4 hospitals. The Spanish triage system was used in all the selected cases. Four indicators were designed to link the triage level and the laboratory resources used (the number of required tests, and the relative value units used in each of the triage levels).
When assessing the complexity of the laboratory requests based on the TL, the higher value of the TL (less complex emergency), the low-medium complexity of the requests for laboratory analyses; relative value units consumed for each clustered TL is higher for levels I, II, III 1,104,712.73 (67.68%) compared with the levels IV, V 527,526.92 (32.32%), emphasising the differences between the hospitals on the number of relative value units used in TL IV, V, 46% and 28%. When the number of requests corresponding to TL IV, V have been considered, the range runs from 63.76% to 35.78%.
The use of the resource of laboratory requests from the emergency department as a function of the level of triage, is possible. Results validate the utility of the proposed set of indicators as a management tool.
Clinical laboratories are regularly requested to analyze unusual body fluids of unknown origin. There is little in the literature about the identification of body fluids of uncertain origin. The purpose of this document is to perform an updated review on those constituents that may be useful as markers for identifying and diferentiating these unusual fluids. A review is presented on aspects such as the identification of a traumatic lumbar puncture or a cerebrospinal fluid leakage, the identification of a chylous or pseudochylous effusion, leakage of bile, pancreatic fluid, gastroesophageal fluid, or urine, in the serous cavities, as well as the amniotic fluid.
Procalcitonin (PCT) is a useful biomarker for the management of patients with severe bacterial infection and sepsis. Different types of assays are currently available for its measurement. This study presents an evaluation of the analytical performance of the novel Lumipulse G BRAHMS PCT™ immunoassay on the Lumipulse 600II analyser.
This analytical evaluation included the calculation of the limit of blank, limit of detection, functional sensitivity, intra-assay and total imprecision, confirmation of linearity and the comparison with the ELECSYS BRAHMS PCT™ assay.
Limit of blank, limit of detection and functional sensitivity were 0.0011 ng/mL, 0.0025 ng/mL, and 0.008 ng/mL, respectively. Intra-assay and total imprecision ranged from 0.78 to 2.16 and from 1.31 to 2.06, respectively, when control levels were used. The linearity was excellent (r=0.999) in the range of concentrations established by manufacturer. A highly significant agreement was found in the comparison between both assays (Lumipulse BRAHMS PCT = −0.016 + 1.006 * ELECSYS BRAHMS PCT). The mean bias was 0.2 ng/mL (95% CI: −0.906 to 0.430). When PCT levels were stratified according to the ranges normally used for their clinical interpretation, the agreement was very high (kappa index: 0.9874 (95% CI: 0.9696 to 1.0000).
The novel assay Lumipulse BRAHMS PCT, with CLEIA technology, appears to be acceptable for clinical use.
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：