Annals of clinical biochemistry
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The degree of exposure to carbon monoxide is most often assessed by measuring the blood carboxyhaemoglobin saturation. This measurement is relevant to investigations of acute accidental or deliberate poisoning and of chronic exposure in a domestic or work place environment. ⋯ For the investigation of low-level exposure and the detection of increased haemolysis in neonates, more sensitive methods involving the release of carbon monoxide and its measurement by gas chromatography are required. Gas chromatographic methods are also appropriate when examining post-mortem blood samples where putrefaction or heat stress has resulted in a significant change in haemoglobin composition.
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Ann. Clin. Biochem. · Jul 2002
Biochemical detection of minor myocardial injury after elective, uncomplicated, successful percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with stable angina: clinical outcome.
Minor elevations of creatine kinase MB isoform (CK-MB) identified a population with a worse long-term prognosis after successful coronary intervention. Recent studies provide evidence that cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is more sensitive than CK-MB for the detection of minor myocardial injury after coronary intervention. The purpose of the study was to determine the prognostic value of cTnI elevation after elective uncomplicated successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). ⋯ Elevation of cTnI is not uncommon after elective uncomplicated successful PCI in patients with stable angina and this elevation might be a marker of adverse long-term outcome.
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Ann. Clin. Biochem. · Mar 2002
Biochemical markers of neonatal sepsis: value of procalcitonin in the emergency setting.
We evaluated procalcitonin (PCT) assay in the emergency diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection, especially in preterm infants, relative to C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen. ⋯ Determination of PCT is of value in excluding bacterial infection in neonates since it has a negative predictive value of 93%.
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Ann. Clin. Biochem. · Jan 2002
Comparative StudyEffect of low protein concentration on serum sodium measurement: pseudohypernatraemia and pseudonormonatraemia!
The effect of high concentrations of protein or lipid on the measurement of plasma sodium by indirect ion selective electrode (ISE) causing pseudohyponatraemia and pseudonormonatraemia is well described. The effect of a low total protein concentration, however, has not been described. ⋯ There were approximately equal numbers of samples with a protein concentration less than 50 g/L (1.3%) as samples with a protein concentration greater than 80 g/L (1.3%). The frequency of erroneous sodium results owing to the use of an indirect ISE was less in hypoproteinaemic (2%) than in hyperproteinaemic (20%) samples.
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Procalcitonin is a 14-kDa protein encoded by the Calc-1 gene along with calcitonin and katacalcin. The function and regulation of this protein are quite different from those of the other gene products. Blood concentrations of procalcitonin are increased in systemic inflammation, especially when this is caused by bacterial infection. Studies of its behaviour in patients with bacterial sepsis have led to the proposal that it may be a useful marker of systemic bacterial infection, with greater specificity and sensitivity than acute phase proteins such as C-reactive protein.