Critical reviews in clinical laboratory sciences
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Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci · May 2017
ReviewHigh-sensitivity cardiac troponin assays: From improved analytical performance to enhanced risk stratification.
Implementation of cardiac troponin (cTn) assays has revolutionized the diagnosis, risk stratification, triage and management of patients with suspected myocardial infarction (MI). The Universal Definition of MI brought about a shift in the diagnostics of MI, from an approach primarily based on electrocardiography (ECG) to one primarily based on biomarkers. Currently, detection of a rise and/or fall in concentration or activity of myocardial necrosis biomarkers, preferentially cTns, with at least one value above the 99th percentile upper reference limit (URL), is the essential component for the diagnosis of MI. ⋯ However, due to frequently occurring mild hs-cTn elevations, they are also associated with lower specificity and reduced positive predictive value when compared to previous generations of assays. Our review underscores the need for the education of clinicians and medical laboratory professionals regarding appropriate use and interpretation of hs-cTn assays. Adequate training and clinical experience in using these tests are essential to translate the improved analytical performance of hs-cTn assays into enhanced risk stratification and hopefully better patient outcomes.
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Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci · Dec 2016
ReviewPlatelets are versatile cells: New discoveries in hemostasis, thrombosis, immune responses, tumor metastasis and beyond.
Platelets are small anucleate blood cells generated from megakaryocytes in the bone marrow and cleared in the reticuloendothelial system. At the site of vascular injury, platelet adhesion, activation and aggregation constitute the first wave of hemostasis. Blood coagulation, which is initiated by the intrinsic or extrinsic coagulation cascades, is the second wave of hemostasis. ⋯ In addition to their critical roles in hemostasis and thrombosis, emerging evidence indicates that platelets are versatile cells involved in many other pathophysiological processes such as innate and adaptive immune responses, atherosclerosis, angiogenesis, lymphatic vessel development, liver regeneration and tumor metastasis. This review summarizes the current knowledge of platelet biology, highlights recent advances in the understanding of platelet production and clearance, molecular and cellular events of thrombosis and hemostasis, and introduces the emerging roles of platelets in the immune system, vascular biology and tumorigenesis. The clinical implications of these basic science and translational research findings will also be discussed.
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Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci · Oct 2016
ReviewLaboratory diagnosis of Ebola virus disease and corresponding biosafety considerations in the China Ebola Treatment Center.
Ebola virus disease (EVD), caused by Ebola virus (EBOV), is a potent acute infectious disease with a high case-fatality rate. Etiological and serological EBOV detection methods, including techniques that involve the detection of the viral genome, virus-specific antigens and anti-virus antibodies, are standard laboratory diagnostic tests that facilitate confirmation or exclusion of EBOV infection. In addition, routine blood tests, liver and kidney function tests, electrolytes and coagulation tests and other diagnostic examinations are important for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of EVD. ⋯ As a result, biosafety control measures during the collection, transport and testing of clinical specimens obtained from individuals scheduled to undergo EBOV infection testing (including suspected, probable and confirmed cases) are crucial. This report has been generated following extensive work experience in the China Ebola Treatment Center (ETC) in Liberia and incorporates important information pertaining to relevant diagnostic standards, clinical significance, operational procedures, safety controls and other issues related to laboratory testing of EVD. Relevant opinions and suggestions are presented in this report to provide contextual awareness associated with the development of standards and/or guidelines related to EVD laboratory testing.
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Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci · Aug 2016
ReviewDiversity of mutations in the RET proto-oncogene and its oncogenic mechanism in medullary thyroid cancer.
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy and accounts for nearly 1% of all of human cancer. Thyroid cancer has four main histological types: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic. Papillary, follicular, and anaplastic thyroid carcinomas are derived from follicular thyroid cells, whereas medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) originates from the neural crest parafollicular cells or C-cells of the thyroid gland. ⋯ Various MTC related mutations have been reported in different exons of the RET gene. We proposed that RET genetic mutations may be different in distinct populations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to find a geographical pattern of RET mutations in different populations.
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Personalized medicine is an emerging field with a goal of applying genomic information as a predictor of disease risk as well as individualization of drug therapy. For optimization of drug therapy, significant progress has been made in the past decade in linking genetic variation in genes associated with drug disposition to prediction of drug response and adverse reactions. For most drugs in clinical use, the interplay of many factors, including genetics, demographics, drug-drug interactions, disease states and the environment, result in the interindividual variability observed during drug therapy. ⋯ Similarly, HMG Co-A reductase inhibitors, commonly known as statins, also display wide interindividual variability in plasma concentration, response and toxicity due in part to polymorphisms in transporter genes, including SLCO1B1 and ABCG2. Genetic factors are also important considerations in treatment with other therapeutic agents discussed, including clopidogrel and tamoxifen. Implementation of personalized medicine-based treatment options for these and other drugs, the pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of which are impacted by functional genetic variations, will require overcoming a number of challenges, including cost, turnaround time, and demonstration of clinical benefit, as well as better training of health care professionals about genomics in general, and pharmacogenomics in particular.