Annals of clinical biochemistry
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Ann. Clin. Biochem. · Sep 2020
ReviewCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the renin-angiotensin system: A closer look at angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).
Since the first cases of atypical pneumonia linked to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China, were described in late December 2019, the global landscape has changed radically. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and at the time of writing this review, just over three million individuals have been infected with more than 200,000 deaths globally. Numerous countries are in 'lockdown', social distancing is the new norm, even the most advanced healthcare systems are under pressure, and a global economic recession seems inevitable. ⋯ Many high-risk COVID-19 patients with comorbidities are on ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers, and this has sparked debate about whether to continue these treatment regimes. Attention has also shifted to ACE2 being a target for future therapies or vaccines against COVID-19. In this review, we discuss COVID-19 and its complex relationship with ACE2.
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Ann. Clin. Biochem. · Jan 2018
Review Comparative StudyComparison of method-related reference intervals for thyroid hormones: studies from a prospective reference population and a literature review.
Introduction Reference intervals are dependent on the reference population, the analytical methods and the way the data are handled statistically. Individual method-related differences have been studied but the comparative differences in reference intervals have not. Methods We studied a reference population of healthy adult subjects and measured free thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone by the four most commonly used analytical platforms used in the UK. ⋯ Discussion Our study demonstrates clearly that there are marked variations in the reference intervals for thyroid hormones between analytical platforms. There is an urgent need for standardization of thyroid hormone assays to permit transferability of results. Until then, guidelines will need to reflect this method-related difference.
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Ann. Clin. Biochem. · Jan 2018
Review Comparative StudyComparison of method-related reference intervals for thyroid hormones: studies from a prospective reference population and a literature review.
Introduction Reference intervals are dependent on the reference population, the analytical methods and the way the data are handled statistically. Individual method-related differences have been studied but the comparative differences in reference intervals have not. Methods We studied a reference population of healthy adult subjects and measured free thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone by the four most commonly used analytical platforms used in the UK. ⋯ Discussion Our study demonstrates clearly that there are marked variations in the reference intervals for thyroid hormones between analytical platforms. There is an urgent need for standardization of thyroid hormone assays to permit transferability of results. Until then, guidelines will need to reflect this method-related difference.
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Anaemia is a condition in which the number of red cells necessary to meet the body's physiological requirements is insufficient. Iron deficiency anaemia and the anaemia of chronic disease are the two most common causes of anaemia worldwide;1 iron homeostasis plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of both diseases. An understanding of how iron studies can be used to distinguish between these diseases is therefore essential not only for diagnosis but also in guiding management. This review will primarily focus on iron deficiency anaemia and anaemia of chronic disease; however, iron overload in anaemia will also be briefly discussed.
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Ann. Clin. Biochem. · May 2015
Review Meta AnalysisHeart-type fatty acid binding protein in early diagnosis of myocardial infarction in the era of high-sensitivity troponin: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Heart-type fatty acid binding protein (HT FABP) is an emerging biomarker of ischaemic myocardial necrosis. While previous studies have demonstrated its additive value when compared to contemporary troponin assays in the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), its utility in the era of high-sensitivity troponin (hsTn) assays remains undetermined. ⋯ HT FABP does not appear to improve the diagnostic accuracy of hsTn, and consequently its routine use currently cannot not be recommended.