Clinical laboratory最新文献

Background: There have been only few reports on Rhupus syndrome with severe visceral involvement. Moreover, there was little consensus regarding its treatment. Belimumab is one of the options for treating this disease. For patients with clinical symptoms and elevated levels of anti CCP antibodies and anti-double stranded DNA antibodies, and it suggests Rhupus syndrome. After effective treatment, the decrease in levels of anti CCP antibodies and anti-double stranded DNA (ds-DNA) antibodies can effectively delay the progression of the disease and protect target organs.

Methods: We used a chemiluminescence instrument, (Yahuilong; Shenzhen, China), to measure the changes in CCP and dsDNA before and after treatment.

Results: Prior to treatment, the patient presented with symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Her laboratory tests showed dsDNA (214 IU/mL) and CCP level of ˃ 3,000 U/mL. After treatment with belimumab, the clinical symptoms were significantly relieved, and the patient's CCP IgG level decreased to 263.5 U/mL. A blood test found that her anti-dsDNA was negative.

Conclusions: CCP and dsDNA can serve as indicators for the diagnosis and treatment of Rhupus syndrome.

Background: In November 2023, our hospital confirmed a case of Mycolicibacterium mucogenicum infection in the right back. The patient sought medical attention at our hospital due to "a right back lump for 2 months, ruptured for 1 month." Two months ago, the patient's back collided with a fire hose and developed a local walnut sized lump. The lump was soft, painless when pressed, and there was no obvious redness or swelling around it. The patient went to a private hospital for incision and drainage treatment on their own. One month later, the condition did not improve and there was yellow pus exuding from the incision site. For additional diagnosis and treatment, the patient went to our hospital for treatment.

Methods: Back MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and abdominal ultrasound. Right back abscess incision and drainage surgery, pus pathogen examination: pus bacterial smear, bacterial culture, and identification. Auxiliary examinations: urine routine, blood routine, liver function, kidney function, blood lipids, and blood sugar.

Results: Back MR: Abnormal signal shadow of subcutaneous soft tissue in the lower back, suggesting inflammatory lesions with abscess formation. Acid fast staining of pus: positive. Culture and identification of pus bacteria (Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, MALDI-TOF MS): Mycolicibacterium mucogenicum. Clinical treatment plan: Clarithromycin 500 mg bid po+ minocycline 100 mg bid po, abscess in-cision and drainage, 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) qd. After 14 days of treatment, the patient's incision base tissue showed excellent activity, no obvious bleeding or exudation, slight redness and swelling around the wound, and normal skin temperature. The patient improved and was discharged.

Conclusions: This article reports a case of Mycolicibacterium mucogenicum infection in the right back. The Mycolicibacterium mucogenicum was quickly and accurately identified by MALDI-TOF MS, and clinical treatment with antibiotics combined with 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) was used. The patient improved and was discharged. I hope that in the future, this study can provide assistance for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of Mycolicibacterium mucogenicum.

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae, a major contributor to global morbidity and mortality, disproportionately affects children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Despite vaccination efforts, the challenge of serotype replacement highlights the ongoing struggle against invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD) in Morocco, emphasizing the need for updated public health strategies and vaccine efficacy assessments.

Methods: This study was conducted at the Ibn Rochd University Hospital Center and the Mohammed VI University Hospital Center from 2019 to 2022, focusing on hospitalized children. It involved the analysis of 74 strains of IPD, assessing the distribution of pneumococcal serotypes and their antibiotic sensitivity in the post-vaccination era.

Results: The prevalence of meningitis or meningo-encephalitis was found to be 66% among the study subjects, with the most frequent serotypes being 3, 19A, 6B, 14, and 11. These serotypes varied significantly by age and location. Coverage rates for the pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, PCV-10 and PCV-13, were 20.27% and 56.75%, respectively. Notably, 43% of the strains were non-vaccine serotypes, with serotypes 3 and 19 accounting for 36% of the infections in children, indicating a lack of vaccine efficacy against these types. Additionally, 31.3% of the strains were Penicillin non-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae (PNSP), with 81.25% associated with non-vaccine serotypes.

Conclusions: This study highlights the persistence of IPD in Moroccan children, revealing significant challenges despite vaccination efforts. With the reintroduction of PCV-13, concerns about the efficacy against non-vaccine serotypes, particularly 3 and 19A, remain. Continuous surveillance and adaptable vaccination strategies are essential to combat these serotype replacements and ensure the effectiveness of future preventive measures.

Background: This study aimed to explore the genetic basis of a fetus with ultrasound indicating a thickening of the nuchal translucency (NT) and a choroid plexus cyst.

Methods: Fetal amniotic fluid and peripheral blood were collected for a G-banding karyotype analysis and single nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP-array) detection.

Results: The chromosome karyotypes of the fetus and its parents were normal. SNP-array showed the fetus had carried 277 kb microdeletion at 14q11.2, which was a new mutation. After the induced abortion, the fetus was diagnosed with macrocephaly.

Conclusions: A prenatal diagnosis of a fetus with 14q11.2 microdeletion-induced intrauterine growth retardation was confirmed, which has provided guidance for the subsequent pregnancy.

Background: In adult females, mycoplasma infection is common and challenging to diagnose. This study aimed to use retrospective laboratory data to construct a nomogram for predicting the mycoplasma infection of individuals with probable urogenital tract mycoplasma infection.

Methods: A total of 2,859 patients with suspected urogenital tract mycoplasma infection were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Demographics and routine examinations of leucorrhea were used to develop a nomogram for predicting mycoplasma infection. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method was applied to filter variables and select predictors, and multivariable logistic regression was used to construct a nomogram. The discriminatory ability of the model was determined by calculating the area under the curve (AUC). The performance and clinical utility of the nomogram were generated by using Harrell's concordance index, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

Results: By using the LASSO regression method, seven variables (age, white blood cell, epithetical cell, cleanliness, candidiasis vaginalis, sialidases, and leukocyte esterase) were chosen, and a nomogram was constructed using these variables. The prediction nomogram (0.676, 95% CI: 0.611 - 0.744) demonstrated a satisfactory performance. The prediction model's AUC was 0.679 (95% CI: 0.660 - 0.691). Furthermore, the DCA showed a good clinical net benefit based on the mycoplasma infection nomogram.

Conclusions: A nomogram was created in this study, which included seven demographic and clinical characteristics of female patients. The nomogram could be of great value for the diagnosis of mycoplasma infection.

Background: Sarcopenia is a complication that occurs after liver transplantation (LT), and it is a poor prognostic factor.

Methods: A total of 23 healthy controls and 131 LT patients (18 - 76 weeks of age) were enrolled in the study. Pa-tients were grouped according to the North American Working Group on Sarcopenia in Liver Transplantation by performing pre- and post-transplant CT scans of the third lumbar (L3). The serum C-reactive protein (CRP) was analyzed and the liver frailty index (LFI) was assessed. Their associations with postoperative sarcopenia, skeletal muscle index (SMI), and poor outcomes were examined.

Results: Before LT, the serum CRP was increased in patients with LT, compared with the healthy subjects, and had the highest levels in patients with sarcopenia. There were seventy-nine patients with sarcopenia after LT, including 48 who had been diagnosed with sarcopenia preoperatively and 31 who had a new onset of sarcopenia after LT. There was a moderate-strength negative correlation between the preoperative and postoperative rates of change in CRP and L3 SMI. Patients assessed as frail preoperatively (LFI ≥ 4.5) were associated with postoperative sarcopenia, and 19 of the new postoperative sarcopenia cases occurred in patients assessed as frail preoperatively. The serum CRP levels and LFI were significantly higher in patients who experienced a prolonged hospitalization and early infections postoperatively than in patients without significant adverse events. CRP (post-LT) > 2.575 pg/mL (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.06 - 2.39, p = 0.026) as well as frailty (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.20 - 2.60, p = 0.001) were independent predictors of sarcopenia after LT in patients.

Conclusions: Serum CRP levels and LFI may be effective for an early detection of sarcopenia in patients with LT.

Background: Among sexually transmitted infection (STI) pathogens, UU, CT, NG, and MG are very commonly detected. A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the clinical situations and laboratory data of patients in-fected with the four pathogens in Hangzhou city, Zhejiang Province, China.

Methods: For this study, 4,716 female outpatients and inpatients of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Hangzhou Third People´s Hospital were randomly selected from January 2019 to December 2023. Multiple types of specimens were collected and four STI pathogens were detected. Data collection was taken from the hospital's electronic medical records and statistical analysis was processed with SPSS 25.0 software.

Results: In the past five years, year by year, the positive rate presented an increasing trend. Out of 4,716 patients, 2,931 were positive, and the positive rate was 62.15%. The positive rate of single infection was significantly higher than of co-infection (p < 0.05). The highest positive rate of all STI patients was found in the  20 age group, and the rate was significantly different between each age group (p < 0.05). Single infection with UU occurred significantly more often than with the other three pathogens (p < 0.05), and co-infection with UU and CT and UU, CT, and MG were significantly dominating (p < 0.05). Only three patients had an infection with all four pathogens, and it was extremely rare. The 21 - 30 and 31 - 40 age groups had high incidences of infection, with a significant difference compared with other age groups (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: The positive rate shows an increasing trend in Hangzhou in the past five years. More single infection than co-infection and more younger patients were detected. Single infection with UU was dominant in all positive patients. The publicity and more screening testing items of STI for younger people should be strengthened in Hangzhou, and the people of Hangzhou should be made more aware that information technology is helpful in aiding the control of STI diseases.

Background: The incidence of hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae (hmvKp), which complicates community-acquired pneumonia, has been increasing recently. This study aimed to detect hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae and determine its antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia in Northwest Ethiopia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 39 K. pneumoniae isolates identified by using Gram stain, culture, and biochemical tests from 312 adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Referral Hospital from April to June 2021. The hypermucoviscous strains were identified by using the string test. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by using the Kirby-Bauer disk dif-fusion method. Data were entered by using EPI data version 4.6 and were analyzed by using SPSS version 20. A p-value ≤ 0.05 at a 95% confidence interval was considered statistically significant.

Results: Overall, 35.9% (n = 14) of the 39 K. pneumoniae isolates were hypermucoviscous phenotype. The mean age of the hmvKp group was lower than of the cKp group (36.93 ± 12.573 vs. 53.52 ± 19.556 years, p = 0.007). All hmvKp isolates were resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Azithromycin resistance in the hmvKp strains was significantly higher than in the cKp group (p = 0.012).

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the hmvKp phenotype causes community-acquired pneumonia and a full resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Antimicrobial resistance was higher in the hmvKp strain than in the classic strains. Further detection of resistance genes, capsular serotypes, hypermucoviscosity-related genes, and virulence genes is necessary.

Background: This study aimed to establish a method for the rapid detection of highly virulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) by using multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification (MIRA) technology. The laboratory can quickly, accurately, and conveniently diagnose highly virulent Klebsiella pneumoniae infection.

Methods: For this study, 7 laboratory standard strains and 184 clinical isolates (including 70 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae) were collected and screened for highly virulent Klebsiella pneumoniae based on its colony morphology, wire drawing test, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) results. Based on the nucleic acid sequence of the peg344 gene of highly virulent Klebsiella pneumoniae on GenBank (no. AP006726.1), specific conserved regions were selected to design MIRA and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) specific primers and probes. The MIRA and qPCR methods were used to detect the tested strain, and the specificity, sensitivity, and clinical performance of the MIRA method for detecting hvKP were evaluated.

Results: In total, 21 cases of hvKP were screened from clinical isolates. The MIRA detection method utilizes specific primers and probes to transmit significant fluorescence signals at 39°C, and the detection process takes 30 minutes. The specificity test results showed that only hvKP had a specific amplification curve, while the rest of non-highly virulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (non-hvKP) had no specific amplification curve. The sensitivity test results showed that the sensitivity of MIRA for detecting hvKP is 7 × 102 CFU/mL, which is consistent with the sensitivity of the real-time fluorescence qPCR method. A simultaneous detection of 184 clinical isolates was accomplished by using MIRA and qPCR methods. Twenty-one strains of hvKP have specific amplification curves, while the remaining 163 strains of non-hvKP have no specific amplification curves. The accuracy of both methods for detecting hvKP is 100%.

Conclusions: The established multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification (MIRA) has the following characteristics: a short detection time, high sensitivity, and a strong specificity, and it can be used as a powerful tool for an early diagnosis and epidemiological monitoring of hvKp.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effects of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2-hours postprandial blood glucose (2hPBG), and fasting insulin (FINS) levels on pregnancy outcomes and their predictive value in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods: A total of 109 pregnant women with GDM (GDM group) were included and assayed for serum FBG, 2hPBG, HbA1c, and FINS levels. The incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes was recorded. GDM patients were divided into the poor pregnancy outcome group and the favorable pregnancy outcome group and analyzed for HbA1c, FBG, 2hPBG, and FINS. The predictive value of serum index combined detection on GDM pregnancy outcome was assessed, and the effect of serum indices on pregnancy outcome was evaluated in GDM patients with logistic regression.

Results: In the GDM group, there were 8 cases of premature membranes breaking (7.34%), 6 cases of premature delivery (5.50%), 3 cases of hyperamniotic fluid (2.75%), 2 cases of neonatal asphyxia (1.83%), 5 cases of fetal growth restriction (4.59%), and 3 cases of low-birth-weight infants (2.75%). The total incidence of adverse preg-nancy outcomes was 24.77% (27/109). HbA1c, FBG, 2hPBG, and FINS in the poor pregnancy outcome group were higher than those in the favorable pregnancy outcome group. The AUC value of blood biochemical indicators combined detection in predicting pregnancy outcome in GDM patients was higher than of HbA1c, FBG, 2hPBG, and FINS alone detection. HbA1c ≥ 6.94%, FBG ≥ 7.18 mmol/L, 2hPBG ≥ 9.36 mmol/L, and FINS ≥ 13.07 U/L were the risk factors affecting pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients.

Conclusions: The changes of HbA1c, FBG, 2hPBG, and FINS levels in GDM patients are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, and the combined detection of serum indicators has predictive value for pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients.