Clinical chemistry
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The B-type or brain natriuretic peptides (BNP) and the amino-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are good markers of prognosis and diagnosis in chronic heart failure (HF). It is unclear, however, whether differences in their biological characteristics modify their clinical correlates and prognostic performance in HF. This work aimed to provide a direct comparison of the prognostic value of BNP and NT-proBNP in patients with chronic and stable HF. ⋯ The natriuretic peptides BNP and NT-proBNP showed subtle differences in their relation to clinical characteristics and prognostic performance in a large population of patients with chronic and stable HF. They were the most powerful independent markers of outcome in HF.
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Letter Case Reports
False-negative pregnancy test in hydatidiform mole.
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Sepsis is a common and often fatal disease. Because sepsis can be caused by many different organisms, biomarkers that can aid in diagnosing sepsis and monitoring treatment efficacy are highly warranted. New sepsis markers may provide additional information to complement the currently used markers. ⋯ A commercially available xMAP panel can be expanded with markers of interest. The combined multiplex assay can measure the 8 analytes with high reproducibility. The xMAP technology is an appealing tool for assaying conventional cytokines in combination with new markers.
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The progression to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in infected very low birth weight (VLBW; <1500 g) infants is difficult to predict with precision at the onset of sepsis. We investigated the immunologic profiles of preterm infants with sepsis, using chemokine and cytokine measurements to predict the development of sepsis-induced DIC at the onset of infection. ⋯ IL-10, IL-6, and RANTES measured at clinical presentation sensitively and accurately predicted the development of DIC in severely infected infants. This information could be vital for early and effective treatment of neonatal sepsis.